The Sedro-Woolley Cubs came up three points short in their quest for their first state tournament appearance since 2005. The Cubs lost their 3A District 1, winner-to-state game Saturday, to the Shorewood Strormrays, 45-43, at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
The Cubs a trouble early on negotiating the Stormrays 1-3-1 zone defense, as it kept defenders close to shooters, and caused slower, lob passes around the perimeter.
The Cubs trailed by eight points in the first quarter until junior guard Cliff Tadema hit consecutive 3-point shots. Junior forward Isaac Johnson followed Tadema’s threes with one of his own, and the Cubs had a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Over the next two quarters, the offenses began to grind, as neither team reached double digits in the middle quarters. The Cubs still held a one-point lead at halftime.
The Cubs did find the soft spot in the Stormrays zone, finding successful passing lanes going vertical rather than horizonal, but the Cubs had a tough time sinking the shots they created. Junior forward, and the league’s leading scorer, Ethan DeJong, accounted for the only four points the Cubs scored in the third quarter, but he went 0-3 at the free throw line at the same time.
Fortunately, Shorewood scored only eight points in the third quarter, so the Cubs still had the Stormrays within reach going into the final quarter, down 32-29.
The game was so tight that it seemed like the lead changed hands with every shot made over the middle two quarters. But the Stormrays doubled their lead to six points as sophomore guard Yuto Allison connected from the outside in the first minute of the fourth quarter.
The Cubs slowly worked their way back and with 2:07 to go, Tadema tied the game with a corner 3-pointer. Then two free throws by DeJong put the Cubs ahead, 43-41, with 1:35 to play. Those were quickly answered on free throws by the Stormrays Jaden Marlow, with just under a minute left.
After a Cubs miss, the Stormrays hit two more free throws at the half-minute mark, taking the lead for good.
The Cubs had the ball, still down by two points with 11 seconds left, after two missed free throws by Shorewood.
After a timeout in front court with five seconds left, the Cubs turned the ball over three seconds later. On the Shorewood inbounds pass, however, the Cubs were able to force a tie-up, but the alternating possession went back to the Stormrays, who were able to run out the clock.
Shorewood advanced to regional play next weekend, as a fine season ends for the Cubs with a record of 13-8, in their first season back in the 3A classification.
Jaden Marlow and Thomas Moles led the Stormrays with ten points each. The Cubs were led by DeJong’s 14 points. Tadema finished with 13, and senior forward Logan Roth added 11.
~ Ted House
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