Cloverdale JV basketball girls split league games

Eagles beat T’wolves, fall to Cards
The Cloverdale Eagles gave the Clear Lake Cardinals all they could handle for three quarters before falling 54-46 in North Central League I junior varsity girls basketball action on Friday night in Lakeport.
“We made a couple of costly turnovers and they hurt us with their rebounding,” Cloverdale coach Mac Butler said in describing Cloverdale’s downfall during the fourth quarter.
The two teams were tied at 32 entering the final period.
“We probably gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter,” Butler said.
The extra shots Clear Lake gleaned from all those offensive rebounds made the difference down the stretch, according to Butler, who said his team otherwise turned in a solid effort against one of the better clubs in the league.
“We put together three pretty good quarters,” Butler said.
Heather Sterling’s 25 points, including four 3-pointers, led the Eagles, who dropped to 3-5 in league play, snapping a three-game winning streak. Maci Hernandez added eight points and nine rebounds while Lane Hughes grabbed nine rebounds as well.
Three days earlier the Cardinals rode a 29-point game by Sterling to a 52-45 victory over the Fort Bragg Timberwolves. Sterling went 3-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc and 6-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Mikayla Crosby added six points and six rebounds in the victory while Julie Edwards also had six points.
The game was close throughout as Cloverdale led 25-22 at the half and 39-33 through three quarters. As the two teams went down the stretch, the Eagles held at least a five-point lead, according to Butler.
Sterling scored 13 points in the first half and nearly matched that with an 11-point third quarter.
The Eagles were home against Kelseyville on Tuesday and host Middletown on Thursday. They hit the road Saturday to play Willits.