Improved play not enough for Oak Harbor | Boys basketball

The Oak Harbor High School boys basketball team played its best game of the young season Tuesday, Dec. 10, but the Wildcats couldn't hold the lead and fell to visiting Snohomish 63-54.

By Jim Waller • December 12, 2013 12:35 pm
Dyllan Harris hits a three on the way to a game-high 23 points for Oak Harbor Tuesday.
Dyllan Harris hits a three on the way to a game-high 23 points for Oak Harbor Tuesday.

The Oak Harbor High School boys basketball team played its best game of the young season Tuesday, Dec. 10, but the Wildcats couldn’t hold the lead and fell to visiting Snohomish 63-54.

The Wildcats (0-3) go to Stanwood (2-0) at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, for a tough conference opener. The Spartans are ranked 10th by the Seattle Times in the first state 3A poll of the season.

Zach Gibbs, unable to play in the first two Oak Harbor games because of transfer issues, made an immediate impact against Snohomish. He snared four rebounds and two steals, and Dyllan Harris added two threes, in the first quarter to help the Wildcats zip to a 15-10 lead.

For the game, Gibbs finished with nine points, 13 rebounds and three steals.

The gap grew to 21-12 before the Panthers trimmed it to 26-21 at the half.

Oak Harbor pushed the lead back to nine, 35-26, in the third quarter on a basket by Harris, two hoops by Gibbs and a three-pointer and an assist from Drew Washington.

From that point the Panthers began chipping away, cutting it to one before Harris’ three-point play at the end of the period made it 42-38.

Snohomish eventually tied it with six minutes left in the game and took its first lead, 47-45, a minute later.

The Panthers would make only two more field goals but connect on 11 of 19 free throws to pull out the nonleague win.

Tanner Arrington came off the bench to score 16 points for Snohomish. The Panthers received 25 points from their reserves; Oak Harbor netted only two.

Snohomish also outscored Oak Harbor 9-2 off turnovers and 10-4 in second-chance points.

The Panthers had 42 rebounds to Oak Harbor’s 36, and committed seven turnovers, two fewer than the ‘Cats.

After a cold first half, Snohomish shot 48 percent in the second half to finish at 37.7 percent (20-for-53). Oak Harbor shot 34.5 percent (19-for-55).

Harris topped Oak Harbor with 23 points, Washington had 11, Zach Jones five, Gabe Groenig four and Jake Sturdevant two. Harris added seven rebounds; Washington and Groenig had five each. Jones passed for two assists.

Coach Mike Washington said, “Better first half, no so much in the second. (I’m) not happy with our mental toughness.”