This ten-week horse race just turned the corner and is headed for home. Of the four thoroughbreds, one has the lead by a nose over the next two, with another just one length behind the leaders. The home stretch won’t be easy. It’s about to get sloppy, and there may be a sudden hurdle or two. Careful about placing your bets too early (that’s only for effect).
You can’t talk about the past week of boys’ basketball in the Northwest Conference without first stopping at Jake Maberry Gym, home of the Lynden Lions, where they hosted the Anacortes Seahawks on Wednesday, in front of a huge crowd in their 3000-seater. You know it’s a really big game when it draws neutral onlookers from all areas, as this one did.
Lynden and Anacortes are number one and two, respectively, in overall wins in the 17-year history of the NWC. Their rivalry is intense, yet respectful, and have had many epic games over the years, whether in conference, district, or state tournaments.
If I had told you that, going into this game, the Lions had won six straight over the Seahawks, you probably wouldn’t have believed me. In fact, I didn’t believe it either. It seems like they have all been nail-biters, which makes the six-straight seem hard to believe. Last year, the Lions won in overtime in Anacortes. This time, the Lions came away with a 64-62 win, on a shot by senior forward Ty Holleman, with 2.4 seconds left. (More details in my game report).
Junior forward Brant Heppner hit a 3-pointer for the Lions early in the first quarter, but that was it for the Lions from behind the arc. They missed their remaining 14 attempts from long range. Give credit for the Seahawks perimeter defense out of their zone. They were quick enough in closing out on shooters, which kept the Lions from getting into a comfort zone.
The Seahawks didn’t shoot well, percentage-wise from outside either. They hit 6-22 for 27-percent, with 33-percent considered the “break-even” mark.
The difference came in the Lions’ ability to get closer to the rim as they were exceptional in the 2-point area. As a team, they shot 60-percent from “inside” the arc. The bulk of that goes to Heppner and Anthony Canales. The two combined to sink 21-32 2-pointers, for 66-percent. Canales was 15-23 and scored 31 points.
On Seahawks junior guard, Davis Fogle, have we ever seen anyone in our two or three counties with offensive skills like this? In my mind, and this may be another slight exaggeration, it doesn’t matter what defense you use, or which individual guards him. As soon as he gets to the top of his jump-shot, he’s open. It’s just up to him to make or miss, so why even defend him? Put your five guys on the Seahawks’ other four players!
Okay, I don’t see anyone going to that extreme, but I think you get the picture.
I’ve seen the Seahawks play several times. The Lions used their two smaller guards, Brady Elsner and Charlie Ayres, to double-team Fogle, and holding him to 35 points is probably a win.
There are two other teams that did a solid job of guarding Fogle this year, but the box score won’t show that.
Mount Vernon used 6-4 junior forward Xavier Neyens on Fogle in a game in December. Neyens size and strength were factors as he did a solid job defending Fogle, but he still scored 43 points in an overtime loss. Same for Lynden Christian’s 6-1 senior guard, Dawson Bouma. He did a good job keeping Fogle out of the key area, but Fogle still managed 38 points in a win over the Lyncs.
I’m sure the book is far from the final chapter when it comes to the Seahawks and the Lions in 2023-24.
Ferndale is in an interesting position. They are currently the eleventh seed in the District 1, 3A RPI list. They need to stay in the top 12. They had a very important game on Monday, hosting Sehome.
The Golden Eagles needed this one desperately, as you will see very soon, and they got it.
Behind the 26 points from senior guard, Bhavnoor Grewal, Ferndale got a much needed 58-55 win over the Mariners on Monday night.
Grewal’s 17 first-half points led the Golden Eagles to a halftime lead of 29-26. The Mariners kept things close, even taking a five-point lead in the fourth quarter. That was erased by a banked in 3-pointer by junior guard Lincoln Thomas and a lay in by senior guard Bishop Ootsey at the two-minute mark.
The key play in the Golden Eagles win was an offensive rebound off of a missed free throw by junior forward Jonah Brillowsky. After the rebound, Brollowsky was fouled and sank two free throws with 12 seconds left, giving his team a 3-point lead.
The Golden Eagles then stayed close enough to the Mariners shooters to not allow them a good look at a tying shot in the final seconds.
The win was important for the Golden Eagles, as the schedule maker wasn’t particularly kind to them, headed into the final week. Following the win over Sehome, Ferndale then lost to Mount Vernon and Lynden Christian. This week, they go to Lynden on Tuesday, have a game at home with Blaine on Thursday, and finish the regular season at Anacortes on Saturday.
The Lakewood Cougars have always been a dangerous team to play, no matter the location. But when playing on their home floor, they are especially dangerous. Just ask Anacortes, who they victimized earlier this year, and Lynden Christian, who nearly fell to the Cougars on Tuesday. The Lyncs escaped with a 75-73 victory.
When sophomore forward Caleb Greenland nailed a 3-pointer with 1:40 left in the first quarter, the Cougars had completed an 11-0 run in taking a 20-8 lead.
The Lyncs still trailed by seven at halftime and by two entering the final quarter, before taking a seven-point lead, 69-62, with under three minutes to play.
However, in a matter of 18 seconds, the Cougars tied the score at 69-69.
A couple technical fouls called on the Lynden Christian bench, plus a common foul, led to the Cougars hitting 5-6 free throws. Even Stacey then tied the score on a lay in with 2:30 to play.
LC senior post Jeremiah Wright scored seconds later, giving the Lyncs a lead they would not relinquish.
Wright’s 27 points led the Lyncs, with Dawson Bouma scoring 18, and Gannon Dykstra 13. The key to the game may have been the 11 points from freshman guard, Dawson Hintz. Three of Hintz’s field goals put his team in the lead.
Greenland scored 26 for the Cougars, with senior forward Zach Stoddard adding 15. Rucker and Stacey each scored 13.
Two days later, the Cougars did not fare so well at Squalicum, losing to the Storm, 47-46.
The Cougars had trouble at both ends of the floor, as the Storm led 28-17 at halftime.
The Storm set the tone, as their first three shots were successful 3-pointers, in route to an 11-3 lead. The Cougars managed only five first-half field goals, and Greenland fouled out early in the fourth quarter with nine points.
On the other side, junior guard Marcus Nixon, had a big night with 22 points, with a bucket and two free throws in the final minute to pad the Storm lead.
As the Storm led 47-40, Stoddard hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left, and junior guard Nash Espe hit one at the buzzer to cut the final score to a single point.
The Oak Harbor Wildcats are 2-16 on the season and winless in the conference, but I enjoyed watching them at Meridian on Friday.
I have seen them on video a few times, but this was my first chance to see them in person, and aside from their record, I liked what I saw.
They were surely outmanned by the Trojans on this night, 75-37, as the sweet stroke of Trojan junior guard, Talon Jenkins was on display to the tune of 27 points. His release is just as smooth as when the ball ripples the net.
But for the Wildcats, you can tell that they know the game. They run their offense and talk and play aggressively on defense. Their press-break is effective. They do the right things and play the right way.
An example of knowing the game was a baseline inbounds play in the first half. Sophomore guard Xavier Ochoa, the inbound passer, tossed the ball off the back of a Trojan defender, stepped in, scooped it up and laid the ball in for two points. That old play.
Ochoa also led the Wildcats with 17 points. Senior forward Jackson Wesley scored 13 points, with 11 coming in the first half.
On Saturday, the Wildcats scored a season-high 70 points in a 90-70 loss at Lakewood.
Lynden will be the busiest team this week, with four games remaining, as they lead by a nose as they make the turn for home.
On the schedule, Monday has Oak Harbor hosting Mount Baker (1-12/3-15). There is nothing on the line in that one, but I’m paying attention. Lynden starts their four-game week in Burlington.
On Thursday, Jake Maberry Gym should draw another big gathering, as the Lions host the Mount Vernon Bulldogs who are chasing Arlington for the #2 spot in the 3A district tournament seeding.
The finish line is Saturday, with Anacortes hosting Ferndale at 2pm, and Lynden at Lynden Christian. The Lions and Lyncs play at 230pm, prior to the girls matchup at 715pm at Lynden.
Make sure you stay tuned for an RPI update by my friend, Arpi Iguy.
~ Ted House
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