Boys Basketball 1-22-2010

Friday night the Wildcat boys basketball team had their first home game of the 2^nd half of the season, hosting the Snohomish Panthers.

The freshman team got a nice win. The Panthers were able to keep scoring leader Dayne Herron in check, but Kiefer Hermann stepped up in the first period with 7 points and Isaiah Trower in the 2^nd with 8 to lead the ‘Cats to a 45-31 win. Hermann finished with 17 and Trower 10, while London Cook scored 7, Herron 4, Chris Hailer 3, and Trenton Cargill and Michael LaBelle 2 each.

In their first meeting at Snohomish on Dec 15^th, the JV had problems on offense, scoring just 32 points to the Panthers’ 42. Things worked out differently on Friday. Spreading the ball around, 5 different players scored in the first period as the Wildcats built a 14-9 lead and increased it to 27-18 at halftime, partly thanks to Kevawn Brooks’ 5-6 performance at the free throw line. Oak Harbor went cold in the 3^rd period, scoring only 9 points but hanging on to a 36-34 lead. Snohomish closed the gap in the 4^th and scored late to tie the game at 53. OH wasn’t able to get another shot in the hoop so the game went to overtime. OT was back and forth until junior David Tillotson was fouled while driving into the basket with just 5 seconds left. He hit the shot and added the ‘and one’ to put OH ahead 65-62 and the final Snohomish shot didn’t go in. Four Wildcats finished in double figures: Brooks led the team with 20 points, Matt Burgoyne and Tillotson both had 12 and Connor Paul had 10. Also scoring were Edward Denmon with 6 and Corey Houck with 5.

Varsity lost a close 53-48 game at Snohomish in December and wanted to avoid a repeat. Snohomish started out strong, building an 18-10 lead but OH was able to close the gap to 26-22 by halftime. The 3^rd period was Oak Harbor’s undoing, though. Snohomish poured in 20 point while the Wildcats managed only 4, leaving Snohomish ahead 46-26 at the end of three periods. Oak Harbor came back in the 4^th behind 11 points by Mike Washington, Jr. and 6 more by Denzel Hardin, but it was a case of too little, too late as Snohomish won 59-47. Washington finished with 24 points, Hardin with 8, Trace Paul 6, Jay Stout 5 and Rashaad Smith 4. Snohomishs’ top scorer, Ortiz, who didn’t play in the team’s first meeting netted 26.

The boys play at home next Tuesday against Everett are at Lake Stevens on Friday the 29th.

25 photos of the varsity team and team members are HERE.

Video clips are HERE.