Weathering a third-quarter uprising by host Snohomish, the Oak Harbor High School boys basketball team defeated the Panthers 58-49 Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Oak Harbor (1-1) saw an 11-point halftime lead, 30-19, shrink to two points in the third quarter, but the Wildcats “kept their composure,” according to coach Mike Washington, and methodically rebuilt the lead.

Washington said the Panthers (2-2) “were tough and didn’t back down.”

The win gave Washington his first victory over Snohomish in his seven-year stint as Wildcat coach.

“I felt confident going in we were prepared,” Washington said. “I watched them play and knew what they were going to do. Jon (assistant coach Atkins) put together a good scouting report.”

Oak Harbor hit some “sweet threes,” Washington said, to go up early, leading 16-9 at the end of the first quarter. The ‘Cats shot 50 percent (5-for-10) from beyond the arc in the first half.

Drew Washington paced the Wildcats, piling up 26 points behind four threes and an 8-for-10 night at the foul line. JoJo Webster added 14 points, Dayne Herron eight, Chris Hailer six and Donavan Sellgren four.

Hailer topped the rebounding with eight and Washington had seven as Oak Harbor won the battle of the boards 30-26.

The Wildcats led in just about every statistical category except turnovers, committing 16 to the Panthers’ 10 and being outscored off the miscues 15-7.

Coach Washington said Sellgren, a freshman, was called up to the varsity to take over for an academically ineligible  player and played a “heady game and gave us a lift.”

He added, “Dayne played well, rebounded well and was getting us some post looks.”

“I am really excited where we are right now.”

Next up is preseason favorite Stanwood (2-2) in Oak Harbor at 7:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.