The Oak Harbor boys basketball team put together one of its best efforts of the season but lost 63-60 at home Tuesday, Jan. 10, in an attempt to upset second-place Shorecrest.
The Wildcats constructed a solid game, but a hiccup in the middle of the third quarter allowed the Scots (7-1, 8-4) to build a double-digit lead and then fight off a fast finish by Oak Harbor to grab the Wesco win.
Both teams scored 12 points in each of the first two quarters and headed into the third period tied at 24.
It was 35-34, Oak Harbor, with 4:04 left in the third quarter when the Wildcats broke down. Shorecrest went on a 13-2 run aided by three Oak Harbor turnovers and two possessions where the ‘Cats failed to cover Scots left alone under the basket.
Shorecrest hit the first two hoops of the fourth quarter and held the game’s largest lead, 51-39, with 7:07 left.
Fueled by seven points by Mike Washington Jr.; a basket, two free throws and an assist from Matt Burgoyne; and a three-pointer from JoJo Webster, the Wildcats sliced the lead to one, 54-53, with 3:53 to go.
Shorecrest recovered to go up 60-53 with 2:57 left. From there the Scots missed three of six free throws, and Oak Harbor got good looks but couldn’t convert enough to pull off the comeback and upset.
For the second time this year, Shorecrest’s size hurt the Wildcats. The Scots started a frontline of 6-7, 6-7, 6-6; Oak Harbor has no player taller than 6-3.
The two tallest Scots, Junior Chibuogwu and Joe Ghebrehiwot, combined for 39 points and 18 rebounds. In all, Shorecrest out-rebounded Oak Harbor 39-30 and out-scored the ‘Cats 10-2 in second-chance points.
Mike Washington Jr. piled up 28 points for Oak Harbor. Webster added 13 points and seven rebounds. Dayne Herron and Kevawn Brooks had six points, Burgoyne four, Elias Whitefoot two and Chris Hailer one.
Oak Harbor played without three-point specialist Drew Washington, who is out for the season with a broken thumb.
Coach Mike Washington Sr. said, “I am proud of how we played. That was one of our best games of the season; there was no downside.”
He added, “We had match-up problems and they wore us down with their depth.”
Oak Harbor (4-5, 4-9) journeys to Lynnwood (2-7, 2-11)Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 7:15 p.m.
