Not only did the Oak Harbor High School boys basketball team lose 53-45 at Everett Friday, Jan. 25, it lost its best chance to qualify for the district tournament.

The Wildcats won twice earlier in the week and moved up to 10th in the district RPI rankings; the top 10 teams qualify for the postseason.

The loss to Everett, a team Oak Harbor should have beaten, dropped the Wildcats to 11th in the standings. Now the Wildcats will need an upset win in its final two regular season games to move on.

Oak Harbor (4-8, 6-12) goes to Arlington (8-3, 12-5; ranked third in RPI) at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, and hosts Marysville Getchell (7-4, 9-8; second in RPI) at 7:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1.

If Oak Harbor qualifies for the district tournament, it will play at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, against a to-be-determined opponent.

Everett 53, Oak Harbor 45

Everett (2-9, 3-14) came into the game ranked at the bottom of the RPI standings, but the Seagulls did just enough to turn back Oak Harbor.

The Wildcats received 5 points each from Haven Brown and Kevin Schuldt in the first quarter to stay even with Everett 13-13.

The Seagulls outscored Oak Harbor 12-6 in the second quarter and led 25-19 at the break.

Schuldt canned two more three-balls in the third quarter and Oak Harbor was within 4, 35-31, going into the final period.

Gavin Allen tried to keep the Wildcats in the game, scoring 7 points in the fourth, but the Seagulls hit 10-of-14 free throws in the quarter to thwart Oak Harbor’s comeback attempt.

Schuldt finished with 14 points and four three-pointers, Allen had 12 points, Brown 7, Dorian Hardin 6, Matt Kelley 4 and Andrew Baloy 2.

Andrew Olson led Everett with 12.