BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Lions survive to stay unbeaten
Zillah, the WIBCA No. 1 ranked team in the Class 1A rankings, missed a “desperation” 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Lynden boys’ basketball team improved to 7-0 with a 60-58 victory Wednesday, Dec. 30, at the Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Tournament in Yakima.
The Lions, the No. 2 team in the WIBCA Class 2A rankings, also beat Yakima West Valley 52-45 late Tuesday, Dec. 29.
Sterling Somers had 17 points, Andrew Kivlighn added 14 points and Jordan Wittenberg had 11 points, including three 3-pointers for Lynden.
“I thought Jordan and Andrew did a nice job of handling the pressure (by Zillah),” Lynden coach Brian Roper said in a phone interview. Zillah also averaged 85 points per game coming into Wednesday’s contest.
The Lions are back in Northwest Conference play when they host Anacortes at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5.
Other results
Kamiakin 55, Squalicum 45: The Storm suffered a loss to Kamiakin at the Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Shootout in Yakima. Damek Mitchell had 18 points for Squalicum, Josiah Westbrook added 14 points and seven rebounds and Darious Powell scored seven points.
Brewster 62, Mount Baker 60: Mount Baker fell behind early to Class 2B No. 1-ranked Brewster and a late rally came up short as the Mountaineers took a loss during the Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Shootout in Yakima. Timothy Soares scored a team-high 22 points, Grant Balvanz added 14 and TJ Bass had 13 points and seven rebounds.
Ferndale 75, Highline 72: Austin Honeycutt scored a game-high 28 points, and Kyler Lagerway scored a season-best 18 as Ferndale bounced back from a loss to earn a strong road win over Highline. John Weg contributed 15, and Honeycutt and Lagerway each converted three 3s.
Lynden Christian 87, De La Salle 61: Jake Poag made seven 3s for a game-high 32 points to lead the Lyncs to a win over Oregon’s De La Salle during the second day of the Cloud 9 Christmas Classic. Zach Roetcisoender added 23, and Josiah Meppelink, Roetcisoender and Nate Hielkema each had 10 rebounds.
As the game progressed, their size bothered us and we just didn’t shoot the ball really well.
Squalicum coach Dave Dickson on the Storm’s loss to Kamiakin
Up next
Lynden plays host to Sedro-Woolley in a nonleague game at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, in what will be a tuneup before Northwest Conference play resumes. The Lions and Cubs will meet 12 days later in an NWC game.
Scoreboard
NWC STANDINGS
All | NWC | |
School (Class) | W-L | W-L |
Anacortes (2A) | 6-3 | 2-0 |
Lynden Christian (1A) | 10-0 | 2-0 |
Lynden (2A) | 7-0 | 1-0 |
Mount Baker (1A) | 5-3 | 1-1 |
Ferndale (3A) | 5-4 | 1-1 |
Sehome (2A) | 2-7 | 1-1 |
Nooksack Valley (1A) | 7-4 | 1-1 |
Blaine (2A) | 5-4 | 1-1 |
Meridian (1A) | 5-5 | 1-1 |
Squalicum (2A) | 8-2 | 1-1 |
Burlington-Edison (2A) | 2-6 | 0-1 |
Bellingham (2A) | 3-7 | 0-2 |
Sedro-Woolley (2A) | 2-6 | 0-2 |
Ferndale 75, Highline 72
Ferndale | 14 | 22 | 21 | 18 | — | 75 |
Highline | 11 | 20 | 22 | 19 | — | 72 |
Ferndale: Hunter Crim 3, Garett Holmes 2, Kyler Lagerway 18, John Weg 15, Jackson King 2, Austin Honeycutt 28, Dane Larsen 4, Carson Genger 3. Totals: N/A.
Highline: Genaro Castenada 20, Arius Willis 2, Excell Walker 7, Darzell Walker 4, Zane Harshman 16, Amir Shahzaad 7, Matt Horejsi 16. Totals: N/A
3-point field goals — Ferndale: 7 (Honeycutt/Lagerway 3); Highline: 8. Fouls — Ferndale: 23; Highline: 21.
Kamiakin 55, Squalicum 45
Squalicum | 18 | 8 | 13 | 6 | — | 45 |
Kamiakin | 5 | 15 | 14 | 21 | — | 55 |
Squalicum: Josiah Westbrook 14, Noah Westerhoff 0, Josh Vail 2, Ben Wolters 0, Darious Powell 7, Damek Mitchell 18, Creighton Kaui 2, Giovanni Melley 2.Totals: 17-53 8-13 45.
Kamiakin: Tanner Hill 0, Koby Bailey 11, Garrett Paxton 9, Cooper Ellison 0, Champ Grayson 5, Isaiah Brimmer 9, Hayden Nelson 19, Parker Rabe 0, Scott Larson 2. Totals: 22-39 6-9 55.
3-point field goals — Squalicum: 3 (Josiah Westbrook, Darious Powell, Damek Mitchell); Kamiakin: 5 (Koby Bailey 3). Rebounds — Squalicum: 23 (Josiah Westbrook 7); Kamiakin: 28 (Hayden Nelson 9). Assists — Not available. Fouls — Squalicum: 13; Kamiakin: 10. Turnovers — Squalicum: 5; Kamiakin: 16.
Lynden 60, Zillah 58
Zillah | 23 | 12 | 6 | 17 | — | 58 |
Lynden | 23 | 15 | 10 | 12 | — | 60 |
Zillah: B. Ellis 3, Burgee 29, Whitiker 2, J. Ellis 10, Delt 10, Elenga 4 . Totals: 58.
Lynden: Clayton Whitman 4, Sterling Somers 17, Connor Shine 2, Andrew Kivlighn 14, Jordan Wittenberg 11, Christian Zamora 2, Davis Bode 7, James Marsh 6. Totals: 60.
3-point field goals — Zillah: 6 (J. Ellis 2); Lynden: 7 (Jordan Wittenberg 3). Rebounds — Not available. Assists — Not available. Fouls — Zillah: 15; Lynden: 20. Turnovers — Not available.
Brewster 62, Mount Baker 60
Brewster | 18 | 12 | 18 | 14 | — | 62 |
Mount Baker | 9 | 13 | 21 | 17 | — | 60 |
Brewster: Carlos Najera 12, Josh Hammons 9, Isidro Najera 3, Chance Williams 6, Cade Smith 5, Tim Taylor 27. Totals: 21-52 11-19 62.
Mount Baker: Keenan Gray 2, Jed Schleimer 0, Mason Bass 9, Carson Engholm 0, TJ Bass 13, Grant Balvanz 14, Timothy Soares 22. Totals: 21-45 12-16 60.
3-point field goals — Brewster: 9 (Taylor 6); Mount Baker: 6 (Balvanz 4). Rebounds — Brewster: 34 (Williams 7); Mount Baker: 35 (Bass 7). Assists — Brewster: 20 (Najera 4); Mount Baker: 18 (Soares 4). Fouls — Brewster: 17; Mount Baker: 19. Turnovers — Brewster: 10; Mount Baker: 14
Mount Baker 54, Black Hills 50 (OT)
Mount Baker | 13 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 6 | — | 54 |
Black Hills | 5 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 2 | — | 50 |
Mount Baker: Keenan Gray 0, Jed Schleimer 0, Mason Bass 2, Sam Stargell 0, Carson Engholm 0, TJ Bass 9, Grant Balvanz 14, Timothy Soares 29, Ethan Gates 0. Totals: 21-52 10-17 54.
Black Hills: Brewer 8, Underhill 2, Nicholson 13, Crumlee 12, Glen 7, Day 4, Cunningham 0, Grabski 4. Totals: 19-50 6-12 50.
3-point field goals — Mount Baker: 2 (Balvanz 2); Black Hills: 6 (Crumlee 4). Rebounds — Mount Baker: 38 (Soares 12); Black Hills: 32 (Glen 6). Assists — Mount Baker: 15 (Engholm 4); Black Hills: 14 (Nicholson 9). Fouls — Mount Baker: 16; Black Hills: 16. Turnovers — Mount Baker: 20; Black Hills: 15.
Lynden Christian 87, De La Salle 61
De La Salle | 15 | 11 | 16 | 19 | — | 61 |
Lynden Chr. | 22 | 16 | 26 | 23 | — | 87 |
De La Salle: Aclan 0, Aschalew 26, Lincoln 2, Glenn 14, Guentle 6, Christmas 8, Taschel 3, White 2. Totals: 22-68 8-13 61.
Lynden Christian: Josiah Meppelink 2, Lucas Roetcisoender 9, Andrew Vander Mey 0, Tanner Bouma 5, Jake Poag 32, Zach Roetcisoender 23, Nate Hielkema 8, Grant Rubbert 2, George De Jong 0. Totals: 34-75 8-12 87.
3-point field goals — De La Salle: 9-32 (Aschlaew 7); Lynden Christian: 11-27 (Poag 7). Rebounds — De La Salle: 26 (Glenn 6); Lynden Christian: 41 (Meppelink/Z. Roetcisoender/Hielkema 10). Assists — De La Salle: 9 (Christmas 3); Lynden Christmas: 15 (Meppelink 8). Fouls — De La Salle: 11; Lynden Christian: 12. Turnovers — De La Salle: 18; Lynden Christian: 10.
This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 10:19 PM with the headline "BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Lions survive to stay unbeaten."