More Tight Games as Teams Jocky for Post-Season Position

The number of streaks of consecutive points I have seen teams put on each other, many in the same game, has become very noticeable.  Even in the final week of the regular season, between teams discernable by just a basket or two. 

Anacortes and Lynden put runs on each other in their game on Tuesday.  Lions Get Past Seahawks...  Then on Wednesday, Burlington-Edison turned around a 21-4 deficit to Bellingham (coming up here), then Anacortes and Lakewood turned the tide on each other in their game on Thursday (also coming up here).

Burlington-Edison 75, Bellingham 70

Wednesday night’s game between Burlington-Edison and Bellingham turned into a match between the immovable object versus the unstoppable force.  The Tigers survived their first exam of finals week, 75-70 over the Bayhawks.

Before it turned into an offensive shootout, the Tigers were looking up at a 21-4 deficit, just six minutes into the game.  But, if there was one thing noticeable about the Tigers, it was the absence of panic.  Maybe that’s due to the fact that their top six players are all seniors.

The Bayhawks came out on fire on senior night, but it was junior guard Calvin Van Hofwegen who got things started by hitting two 3-pointers in the first 95 seconds.  He accounted for eight first quarter points as the Bayhawks rolled to a 24-14 lead.

The Tigers began their comeback late in the first quarter, sparked by senior guard Madden Whitlock, who scored five points in a 10-3 run by the Tigers in the last 2:12 of the period.

Whitlock hit his second 3-pointer of the game early in the second quarter, as he and senior forward Logan Heigert dueled with Bayhawks senior forward Joe Harward (the immovable object).  The two Tigers (the unstoppable force) combined for 19 of their team’s 23 second quarter points.  Harward scored all night on hard drives to the rim, and had 14 points by halftime.

The Tigers took their first lead of the game, 35-34, when Heigert scored over Harward, in the key with 1:10 left in the half.  So, after being down 21-4, the Tigers led at halftime, 37-36.

The battle continued in the third quarter, but became one-sided toward the Tigers as Whitlock and Heigert split 16 points in the quarter.  The Tigers outscored the Bayhawks 46-25 over the middle two quarters.  Whitlock and Heigert combined for 35 of the 46.

The Bayhawks trailed by as much as 14 points early in the fourth quarter, but made a run sparked by two quick buckets, a score inside by Harward and a 3-point shot by Van Hofwegen a few seconds later.  That got the Bayhawks within seven points with 5:20 to play.

With the Bayhawks down just 70-67 with 1:45 left, Whitlock nailed a 3-point shot from the left wing to boost their lead to six.  Van Hofwegen answered that with a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left.  The Bayhawks got a chance to tie after a turnover by the Tigers, but came up empty.  Senior guard Logan Arendse capped the scoring with two free throws with 12 seconds left.

Heigert led the Tigers with 30 points, but it was the 28 from Whitlock that carried the day for the Tigers. 

Harward attacked the rim all night and finished with 29 for the Bayhawks.  Van Hofwegen finished with 16.

The Bayhawks who are much better than their 3-11 conference record, have one regular season game left.  They host Meridian on Friday.  They are currently the #9 seed in the 2A district RPI, out of nine teams.  A win over the Trojans will probably not lift the Bayhawks past #8 Marysville-Pilchuck or #7 Archbishop Murphy via RPI math.  However, the Bayhawks do have a convincing win over M-P, and there is a committee involved.  Based on that, I would move Bellingham to #8, which means they would host the play-in game.  I have seen Archbishop Murphy, and would not move them lower than their current #7.  The Wesco regular season was completed on Wednesday.

Should Squalicum (currently #6) lose to Oak Harbor on Friday, a case could be made for Archbishop Murphy to take the #6 spot.  The RPI no longer seeds teams automatically.  A committee is involved and uses multiple factors. 

The play-in contest between 2A district seeds #9 at #8 will be Monday, February 9.  The winner advances to the first round on Wednesday, February 11. 

The Tigers (10-4) play their final regular season game Friday night at Sehome (10-4).  The two played in a holiday tournament at Burlington in a game won by the Mariners, 73-57.  The Mariners beat Squalicum on Wednesday, 61-47.

Anacortes 71, Lakewood 65

In Anacortes on Thursday, the Seahawks got a big win over Lakewood to secure at least the #2 position in the 2A district tournament.  Anacortes rebounded from a 29-13 second quarter deficit to defeat the Cougars, 71-65.

The Cougars stroked five 3-pointers in the first quarter (12 for the game) on their way to a 24-13 lead.  Three of those shots came in the final 80 seconds.

In the first minute of second quarter, the Cougars added to their lead on a bucket by junior Drew Egger and a 3-pointer by senior guard Caleb Greenland to reach their 29-13 lead, completing a 17-0 run.

At that point, the Seahawks started a 13-0 run of their own on a bucket by senior forward Micah Dickison and a 3-point shot by junior guard Spencer Roberts.  In just over three minutes of game time, the Cougars lead melted to 29-26, with still 3:15 to play in the half.

A put-back by Lucas Roberts off of a missed lay-in by Spencer Roberts, knotted the score at 33-33 at halftime.  In all, the Seahawks closed the half by outscoring the Cougars 20-4.

There were no significant one-sided runs in the second half.  With the game tied at 43-43 at the 3:40 mark of the third quarter, Greenland was whistled for his fourth foul, and spent the rest of the quarter on the bench.  The final minutes were played nearly even, with the Seahawks leading 53-52, heading into the final period.  Greenland’s 3:40 on the bench may have been his longest stint there since his freshman year.

Back on the floor to start the fourth quarter, Greenland hit a 3-point shot on the Cougars first possession.  But the Cougars 55-53 lead lasted only a few seconds, as Lucas Roberts responded with a 3-pointer of his own, followed by a bucket by Spencer Roberts.

A 3-point shot by sophomore guard Carter Langum tied the game at 60-60 with 3:30 left.  After the Seahawks took a four-point lead, junior guard Derek Willson hit two free throws after a steal, then Greenland landed a 3-pointer from the deep right corner to give the Cougars a 65-64 lead with 1:50 left.

Dickison put the Seahawks in the lead for good with a 3-pointer with 1:28 to play.  After a Lakewood miss, senior forward Brennan Morgenthaler added to the lead on a drive to the basket to seal the win.

Dickison led the Seahawks with 25 points, with Spencer Roberts hitting for 17, and Lucas Roberts finishing with 14. 

For the Cougars, Greenland led four players in double-figures with 18.  Then it was ten points each for Willson, Egger, and Langum.   

The Seahawks will be the #2 seed to the district tournament if Lynden wins at Nooksack Valley, Friday night.  The Cougars placement “appears” to be in the #4 spot, according to my RPI math, which is unofficial due to games remaining which could slightly affect any and all teams.

So, as my preliminary numbers have Lakewood in the #4 spot, my math has the winner of tonight’s game between Burlington-Edison and Sehome as the #3 seed, and the loser as the #5 seed.

Again, do not take that as official, as the RPI numbers are extremely close, and every game has an effect on every team. 

Also Thursday night, Sedro-Woolley escaped with a 51-50 win over Blaine.  The Borderites led 20-9 after eight minutes.  The game was tied at halftime, and the Borderites led by two points after three quarters.

The Cubs took a five-point lead with 2:40 to play, but the Borderites had the ball, down a point with 15 seconds left.  Going for what would have been the upset of the year in the conference, the Cubs final defensive stand held up.  A long 3-pointer by the Borderites came up short, and a put-back at the buzzer was blocked by the Cubs Camden Howell.

A loss by the Cubs would have hurt them in their 3A district RPI standings more than it would have helped the Borderites post-season positioning.  However, the game the Borderites played is a nice confidence builder, and future opponents in the 1A tournament should take notice. 

The Cubs finish 12-3 in the NWC, and are #5 in the 3A RPI.  The Borderites are locked into the #4 spot heading into the 1A tournament.  They will host #5 Mount Baker, in a loser out, opening game on Wednesday, February 11. 

Tonight, Meridian plays at Bellingham, while Nooksack Valley hosts Lynden.  The Trojans are one game up on the Pioneers and hold the tiebreaker meaning the two will face each other at Meridian in the first-round semifinals on Friday, February 13.

Mount Vernon’s 57-39 win at Mount Baker qualifies the Bulldogs (7-8) for the 3A district tournament.  They currently hold the #8 position in the 3A district RPI standings. 

Ferndale (6-9, currently #9) lost to Lynden Christian on Thursday, 80-70, but they have also qualified for the district tournament, based on their win over Oak Harbor (5-9) earlier this season.   The Wildcats host Squalicum on Friday, and are tenth in the district RPI, but per the NWC-Wesco agreement, the NWC qualifies only three of their four 3A teams.

District tournament brackets could be filled in on Saturday.  Check back Sunday for more info, as the regular season ends tonight.

~  Ted House