Lyncs Win 14th Straight: 70-65 Over Anacortes

The Lynden Christian Lyncs put first place in the Northwest Conference into a headlock with a 70-65 win at Anacortes on Wednesday. 

The Lyncs now have a two-game lead on the field with five conference games to play in the regular season.  The win was their fourteenth straight, since a game-two loss at Lake Stevens.

Junior guard Dawson Hintz hit three 3-point shots in the opening quarter to pace the Lyncs to a 17-13 lead after eight minutes.  By halftime, Hintz had 15 points which included a fourth 3-pointer.  Running mate, junior Gunnar Dykstra also had a hand in the Lyncs 37-33 halftime lead, adding nine points of his own.

The Seahawks stayed within one and seven points of the Lyncs through the first half as junior forward Lucas Roberts hit two 3-point shots in the second quarter to draw the Seahawks to within a single point.  Senior forward Micah Dickison tallied 14 points in the first half, hitting two 3-pointers in using his inside-outside abilities.

Senior forward Brennan Morgenthaler hit a three from the right wing to open the scoring in the second half, to creep the Seahawks to within a point.  Then senior guard Gunnar Willoughby hit a lay-in off a nifty back-door cut to give the Seahawks their first lead of the game, 38-37 with 5:10 left in the third quarter.

That bucket must have been like Vitalis to the face of the Lyncs, as seconds later, senior forward Kaden Veldman connected on two free throws that started an 11-0 run for the Lyncs.  Dykstra turned a 3-pointer into a four-point-play, then hit another 3-pointer for seven points in the run.  The Lyncs led 48-38 with just under three minutes left in the third quarter.

Trailing 50-42 starting the fourth quarter, Seahawks senior guard Luca Moore hit a 3-point shot from the top of the key in the opening seconds to cut the Lyncs lead to five.  After a Lyncs score, it was Moore connecting again from the same spot, but this time, he needed a shooters bounce.  The ball hit backboard first, then every bit of rim before dropping into the cotton, bringing the Seahawks back to a one-point deficit, yet again, with 5:45 left.

Fifteen seconds later, the Seahawks took a one-point lead, 53-52, on two free throws by Lucas Roberts.

Que the Vitalis.  (If you know, you know).

Dykstra and Veldman keyed the Lyncs second 11-0 run of the game.  Dykstra scored the first two, followed by a three from Veldman.  Dykstra also scored on a back-door cut, assisted by Veldman.  Then Veldman scored an uncontested lay-in on a fast break.  That built the Lyncs lead to 63-53, until junior guard Spencer Roberts hit two free throws for the Seahawks with 2:52 left.

Dykstra also showed his combination of confidence and “ice in his veins,” as he stroked a killer 3-point shot with 2:15 to play, giving the Lyncs a nine-point lead.

However, the Lyncs weren’t without their difficulties down the stretch.  The Lyncs missed two 3-point shots over the next minute.  In between those misses, Spencer Roberts went 3-3 at the free throw line to cut the Lyncs lead to 66-60.

Then, down six, Dickison hit a 3-point shot from the left corner, and it was a 3-point game with 1:15 left.

The Lyncs then slowed the pace to drain the clock, but drained too much and ran into a shot clock violation, turning the ball back to the Seahawks with 37 seconds left.

Still down by three, Dickison took the ball at the top of the key and drove down the right side against the defense of senior guard Boyce Robertson.  He got near the low post for a jumper, but it rimmed out.  The Lyncs rebounded and Hintz hit two free throws to push the Lyncs lead to five points. 

Spencer Roberts then scored an inside bucket with 14 seconds left, but Hintz added two more from the stripe to end the scoring.

The Lyncs (10-0/15-1) guard duo of Hintz and Dykstra evenly split 46 of the Lyncs 70 points.  Veldman added 11.

Dickison led the Seahawks (8-2/12-3) with 19, with Morgenthaler adding 12. 

As of Thursday morning, the Seahawks and the Lynden Lions are tied for second place in the NWC with 8-2 records.  They are two games behind the first-place Lyncs, and a single game in front of Sehome, Lakewood, and Sedro-Woolley.

~ Ted House