Tigers Sweep Seahawks in Tiger-Hawk Challenge

The Burlington-Edison Tigers recovered from an early 9-0 deficit to hand the Anacortes Seahawks their first loss of the season, in a 52-47 victory, surrounded by events in the 16^th annual “Tiger-Hawk Challenge,” Tuesday night at Burlington-Edison High School.

The game was an emotionally intense brawl, with full-on contact, and few easy shots.  With all that, opposing seniors, Micah Dickison of the Seahawks, and the Tigers Logan Heigert, led their respective teams like warriors.

The Seahawks grabbed the momentum of the emotional gym in the first three minutes, as Spencer and Logan Roberts combined to score all nine Seahawks points in their initial run. 

Two free throws by Heigert at the 3:08 mark of the opening quarter finally got the Tigers on the board.  Senior guard Logan Arendse scored the only field goal for the Tigers in the first eight minutes.

The Tigers slowly chipped away at the Seahawks 12-4 lead, and got to within 14-12 with 5:12 left in the half.  Then the Seahawks ran off six of their eight second quarter points, but the Tigers got the last five points of the half to trail 20-17 at intermission.

It seemed all night like the Seahawks were getting the shots they wanted, but just could not get enough of the easier shots to fall.  But what looked easy to begin with, turned out to be much different when the Tigers defenders arrived to alter the shot or path to the hoop.

The second half was a Battle Royale between Dickison and Heigert.  What one would do, the other would match.  Dickison used his strength and soft touch to work for hoops near the rim, and to get to the free throw line.  Heigert had to battle a face guarding defender, but was still able to score without ever being able to free himself.  Except for one instance, late in the third quarter.

Heigert was being fronted by Seahawks senior Brennan Morgenthaler as he roamed the key area.    Heigert then stepped from under the basket toward the right low post then gave a quick shoulder fake and a back door cut as senior guard Madden Whitlock began to drive the lane.  Whitlock hit Heigert with a pin-point pass for his easiest basket of the night.

Heigert gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with 5:22 left in the third quarter.  But that was answered quickly on a bucket by Dickison.  But that was answered back by Heigert, who scored on a jump-hook in the key.  That basket gave the Tigers a lead they would not relinquish. 

The Tigers outscored the Seahawks 34-20 over the middle two quarters.  The difference in the second half was that Heigert got just a little bit more help from his teammates at the offensive end than Dickison got from his fellow Seahawks.

Zak Fleshman, the Tigers 6-2 senior forward, hit two of the biggest shots of the game.  He came off the bench to hit two 3-pointers, one in the third quarter, and another in the fourth quarter.

The first extended the Tiger lead to four points with 3:10 left in the third quarter.  The second was with 2:20 left in the game, giving the Tigers a 48-42 lead.

After that shot, Arendse came up with a steal at the 1:15 mark.  Then, at the offensive end, Whitlock cashed in on a drive to the hoop to make the Tigers lead eight points with a minute left.

The Seahawks could get no closer than four points with 21 seconds left.

Heigert scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half.  Whitlock scored all 15 of his points after the first quarter. 

Dickison had a big second half for the Seahawks, where he scored 16 of his 22 points.  No other Seahawk reached double-figures.  Spencer and Lucas Roberts, who each average 15 points a game, each scored five points in the first quarter.  Their only other score was a 3-pointer by Spencer in the fourth quarter.

This game exemplifies the league this year.  The Tigers (4-1/8-2) were coming off of a dismantling on Friday by Lynden Christian, in a game in which they trailed 51-19 at halftime.  Then, they started this game in a 9-0 hole.

This was the first loss of the season handed to the Seahawks (4-1/8-1) who play at Meridian on Thursday, and host Mount Vernon on Saturday.  The Tigers end their week by hosting Nooksack Valley on Thursday.

The Tigers got a sweep of Tiger-Hawk festivities as the Burlington-Edison girls defeated Anacortes, 51-39.  They were also awarded the coveted Tiger-Hawk Milk-Can Trophy, for winning the spirit competitions.

~ Ted House