Borderites Break Streak in Win over Bayhawks

While the rain fell and the rivers rose outside, inside the Bellingham High School Gym, the Blaine Borderites snapped a streak that went on way too long.

Blaine’s 67-62 Northwest Conference victory over the Bayhawks broke a 21-game losing streak in NWC games, dating back to a win over Mount Baker on January 15, 2024.

The Borderites seem to have a firm grasp on the system implemented by second-year head coach, Chas Kok, who ran the show at Burlington-Edison for five seasons before relocating to Blaine.

The bounce passes and back-door cuts are a thing of beauty when executed.  But, more importantly, the Borderites showed much resolve and mental toughness when needed most.

The offenses went back and forth through the first eight minutes, with the Bayhawks holding a 20-19 lead.  Six players scored in the first quarter for the Bayhawks, while the Borderites had seven players in the scoring column.

The next eight were much different, as the Bayhawks won the quarter 10-8, while leading scorer, 6-4 senior forward Joe Harward, was regulated to the bench for the entire eight minutes, having committed his second foul in the final minute of the first quarter.

Trailing 30-27, the Borderites scored the first five points of the third quarter which started an 11-4 run for a 38-34 lead.  The Bayhawks fought back to tie the game at 39-39 in the following minutes.

Blaine senior guard, Daniel Banks, untied the score with a 3-pointer, then added two free throws with 2:10 left in the quarter.  The Borderites were on a 7-2 run when senior forward, Landon Melton, may have hit the shot of the game.

Leading 46-41 after a Harward lay-in, Melton was the trailer as the Borderites moved the ball to their offensive end.  He came to a stop at the top of the key, a step behind the arc, and swished a 3-point shot just inches over the fingertips of a hard-closing Harward.

Then, Junior guard Dawson Dohner added a 3-pointer in transition from the right corner, giving the Borderites an 11-point lead.  They led 52-43 starting the fourth quarter.

Back-to-back three’s by Bellingham junior guard Calvin Van Hofwegen, ignited the Bayhawks at the start of the fourth quarter.  After a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Emmett Vanhouten, Harward laid in the weeds as the Borderites made a nonchalant inbounds pass.  Harward jumped the route, stole the pass and leaped to the rim for a two-handed jam.  Just like that, the game was tied at 54-54 with only 90 seconds gone in the fourth, prompting a Borderites timeout.

This when the Borderites showed their medal. At this point, the Bayhawks momentum could have swung the game in their direction.

Melton came through for the Borderites (and the Bayhawks), as he not only scored his team’s first seven points of the fourth quarter, but he played athletic trainer as he assisted the Bayhawks’ Vanhouten, who was down on the floor, to stretch a cramping leg muscle.    

Van Hofwegen hit another 3-pointer to tie the score at 59-59 with 2:50 left, but the Borderites scored the next five points for a 64-59 lead with under a minute to play.

The Borderites were not perfect down the stretch, but their 5-12 shooting at the free throw line in the fourth quarter, happened to be just enough to stay out of the reach of the Bayhawks.

Melton scored 17 of his game-high 21 points in the second half.  Banks added 12, while Dohner and junior center Gus Dickson scored ten points each.

Vanhouten had four three’s and 16 points to lead the Bayhawks.  Van Hofwegen also had four 3-pointers as he and Harward finished with 14 points each.

I saw Blaine beat La Conner last week by more than 50 points.  But in this game, against a good Bellingham team, they played even better, and were able to access themselves in the more important parts of the game, that they will need, come early February. 

The 1A group seems to be tightening up.

~  Ted House