OHHS Boys Basketball vs Snohomish - Dec 17th

At home for the 2nd game in a row, the Wildcat boys basketball team hosted the Snohomish Panthers.
The freshman game wasn’t looking good at the end of the first period, as Snoho jumped out to an 11-5 lead, and maintained that 7-point advantage to the half. In the 3rd period, the Wildcats found some offense, spread among 5 different players, and closed the gap to four – 28-24 and the end of 3. In the final period, the boys stepped up the defense and held the Panthers to only 6 points, and Wildcats, behind seven 4th-period points by Kevawn Brooks, took the lead late in the game. The Panthers were then forced to foul, and Josiah Miller sank some free throws near the end to secure the 39-36 win. Brooks was tops in points with 15, Miller had 6, Matt Burgoyne, Ed Denmon and Michael Mack each had 5 and Elias Whitefoot had 3.
The JV team was also down early, scoring only 6 in the first to Snohomish’s 16, and the Panthers increased their lead to 32-13 at the half. In the 3rd, the JV boys closed the gap by holding Snohomish to just 6 points in each of the last two periods. We scored 14 in the 3rd to make the score 38-27, but couldn’t close much more as the game ended 44-35 in favor of Snohomish. Nate young and Stevie Bratt shared high-score honors with 11 each; Connor Paul had 5, Ryan Fakkema 3 and Colby Anter 2.
The varsity game started out with a bang. The Wildcats secured the opening tip and Jay Stout drove in for a quick two. Snoho put in a score and added a free throw to take a 3-2 lead with 6:43 in the 1st. Mike Washington answered by hitting a trey to put the Wildcats back on top 5-3 – a lead the Wildcats would hold until the last few minutes of the game. Beaux Haley had a couple of scores, and Washington hit another 3 to give the ‘Cats a 7-point lead, 18-11 with under 2 minutes in the first. Snohomish snuck in a layup with 2 seconds left but the Wildcats led at the end of the first 19-16. Scoring in the 2nd was back and forth, with the Panthers closing to within one before the Wildcats opened it back up to 4 to end the half 33-29. Halfway through the 3rd, Jimmy Edens hit a jumper from the foul line and Jay Stout also scored as Oak Harbor increased the lead to 42-32. A couple of steals and free throws later, Snohomish had lowered the Oak Harbor lead to 44-40 as the 3rd period ended. Snohomish got a quick score as the 4th period started, then Oak Harbor started playing the delay game, content to pass the ball back and forth, using up time. The Wildcats didn’t attempt a shot until 6:28 was left in the game. That shot didn’t go in, but 15 second later Washington scored to make it 46-42. The Wildcats stopped the next Snohomish possession, but a travel call gave it back to Snoho and they went on to score to make it a 2-point game once again. Aaron Boesch hit a jumper with 4:45 left to increase the lead back to 4, but a score and free throw by the Panthers closed it to just one point with 3:37 left. Now it was Snohomish’s turn to play ‘keep away’, which they did until 2:51 left, when they were fouled by a Wildcat player, and hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 48. Then, with just one minute left in the game, Snohomish stole the ball and ran the fast break for a score. With just 12 seconds left Coach Washington called a timeout to set up a play. The ball was inbounded, and with just a few seconds left, Jay Stout shot from the top of the key, missed, and Josh Fikse’s putback rolled off the rim, and the horn sounded before he could grab the ball and put it back up again, and the Wildcats lost to Snohomish by just 2 points, 50-48. Mike Washington scored 17 to lead the Wildcats, Jay Stout scored 12 and Beaux Haley 10. Josh Fikse, Rashaad Smith scored 3 each, and Aaron Boesch and Jimmy Edens had two each.
The Wildcat boys may be playing at home on Friday, weather permitting, then may travel to Lake Stevens on Saturday, again, depending on Mother Nature.

18 photos, of varsity only, are posted HERE.

3 video clips, including your block, Jimmy, are posted to the YouTube site.