A small lead turned into a win for the Cordova High School boys basketball team against El Dorado in a Sierra Valley Conference home contest on Tuesday.

Leading by only three points entering the final eight minutes, the Lancers used the free throw line to build a 68-56 win over the Cougars at Lancers Gym. The victory was also the first one for Cordova (1-1 in the SVC, 8-10).

The Lancers led 39-36 entering the final eight minutes of the game. Then Cordova started to build its lead with a huge offensive output of 29 points. Eight of those points came from point guard Joe Danielyan, who had all of his points in the quarter.

“It was a tough game,” said Cordova head coach Fletcher Johnson.

El Dorado battled back with an offensive surge toward the end of the quarter, and at one point led in the contest. That included fouling the Lancers. In hopes that Cordova players would miss their free throw opportunities, they sank their shots that led to the win.

“They started fouling us,” Johnson said. “But we made the free throws.”

Cordova guards Calvin Augusta finished with 21 points. Markell Briggs and LeAndre Ward were also double-digit scorers for the Lancers, as they had 12 and 10 points respectively and Danielyan eight points.

Rosemont 58, Cordova 57

In the SVC opener at Lancers Gym on Jan. 13th, the Lancers led 48-39 entering the final quarter.

But the visiting Wolverines rallied in the final eight minutes of the game, scoring 19 points. Rosemont let its defense do the talking, too, as it held the Lancers to only nine points.

“They are much better than in past years,” said Johnson of Rosemont, which is 1-1 in the SVC and 11-8 overall. “The ball was just bouncing their way.”

Cordova led 30-27 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Lancers outscored Rosemont by an 18-12 margin before the Wolverines’ rally in the final quarter.

Leading scorer for Cordova was Augusta and Jason Novik, both of whom also had 19 points. Point guard Joe Danielyan followed with six points, forward LeAndre Ward five, forward Mike Brown four, and Najee Clark and Ormajeon Smith had two points each.

Today, Friday, Cordova continues SVC action at Galt. Next Tuesday, the Lancers make another trek to Galt, but this time to Liberty Ranch, which are the defending conference champions.

Cordova plays its next home game a week from today, Friday, when Union Mine pays a visit. Game time for all three contests is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.