DEMING - Mount Baker coach Rob Gray doesn't have to remind his key seniors what the final eight games of a season can mean to anyone.
Even though the Mountaineers fell to 2-10 overall and 0-5 in the Northwest Conference with an 84-46 loss to title contender Anacortes (9-3, 5-0) on Monday, Jan. 9, Gray feels Baker is far from finished as long as his boys feel the same way.
"We're one game out of fifth (in the 2A ranks, in which the fifth-place finisher gets a play-in game to the Northwest District Tournament) and we started 1-6 in the league two years ago," said the longtime coach, who has suffered three of the five league losses to teams unbeaten in the NWC. "We finished 7-6 with a six-game win streak and went on to take fifth at state."
Key seniors Blake Compton, Addison King and Aaron Baddeley all remember that remarkable surge - and each of them never stopped playing hard against Anacortes.
"That's the best thing that came out of this - we battled to the end," said Gray.
Anacortes, however, displayed remarkable offensive outside and inside versatility as the Seahawks showed they'll be mighty tough for four Whatcom County title hopefuls remaining in their final eight games - Class 2A Sehome, Lynden and Squalicum and 1A Lynden Christian.
Fourth-year Anacortes playmaker Matt Welliver received Gray's congratulations following a 29-point performance - nearly twice his 14.9 average - during which he shot 11 for 18 with five 3-pointers. He finished with five assists and five steals.
"He's been very good since his sophomore year and this is the best I've seen him," Gray said of the quick and slick 5-foot-10 Welliver. "Plus, he's a super nice kid."
With Anacortes leading 61-34 after three quarters, Welliver displayed a noteworthy focus when given the opportunity to play the first half of the fourth quarter. He was taken out at the 3:53 mark, having made 5 of 6 shots in the final period in a display of sheer hunger for excellence.
Compton shot 5 for 9 with three 3s for 13 points and King went 8 for 8 from the line and finished with 14 points. King's 3-pointer gave Baker a 12-10 lead and hope for the sort of 2A shocker Bellingham pulled off against Squalicum three nights earlier.
Anacortes, however, responded by going on a 22-0 run, capped by seven consecutive points by 6-3 junior post Billy King, who shot 6 for 10 and finished with 13 points.
Welliver and King were far from the entire Anacortes story. Fellow starters Cody Culp and Sam D'Amelio combined for five 3-pointers and A.J. Yost, a 6-5 junior, scored seven of his nine points during the 22-0 blitz.
Anacortes made four 3s in the opening quarter, then pounded the ball inside for seven 2-pointers in the second period. The Seahawks then used their 38-16 halftime advantage to work on their outside game in the third quarter and responded five 3s by four different players. They finished with a dozen 3s.
The game started on an odd note when Anacortes was whistled for a technical foul for an infraction in warmups and King gave Baker a 2-0 lead with a pair of free throws. Baker inbounded the ball and made it 4-0 on a long pass from Baddeley to Andrew Zender, the lone sophomore starter.
Baker next plays at Nooksack Valley on Friday, Jan. 13.
ANACORTES 84, MOUNT BAKER 46
Anacortes 18 20 23 23 - 84
Mount Baker 12 4 18 12 - 46
Anacortes: Matt Welliver 29, Billy King 13, Sam D'Amelio 9, Cody Culp 6, A.J. Yost 9, Ty Johnson 4, Justin Hansen 2, Cody Myers 4, Alex Luevanos 3, Peter Luciano 3, Andrew Medalia 2, Zach Vance 0. Team totals: 33-66 6-9 84.
Mount Baker: Addison King 14, Blake Compton 13, Aaron Baddeley 5, Andrew Zender 4, Mark Brauer 0, Dalton Munsell 2, Ty Munsell 3, Derek Gorum 2, Reuben Murashov 3, Mateo Munoz 0. Team totals: 15-45 10-14 46.
3 ptg: Anacortes 12 (Welliver 5); Mount Baker 6 (Compton 3, King 2). Rebounds: Anacortes 35 (Yost 10); Mount Baker 24 (King, Compton 6). Assists: Anacortes 14 (Welliver 5); Mount Baker 6 (Baddeley 3). Fouls: Anacortes 11; Mount Baker 12.
