Cool 'Cats fall to Arlington in girls basketball

Arlington took advantage of a poor shooting night by the visiting Oak Harbor girls team to slip by the Wildcats 54-50 Tuesday.

Oak Harbor, which has struggled all year from the field with a season shooting percentage of 31 percent, hit just 24 percent of its shots against the Eagles. Arlington hit 38 percent, good enough to squeak out the win.

The Eagles, down 10-6 at the quarter, took the lead for good with a big second quarter and led at the half 26-20. They upped the margin to 11 before Oak Harbor began to chip away behind a “solid zone defense,” according to coach Brett McLeod.

Jessica Denmon’s layup with 43 seconds left put Oak Harbor within one, 51-50. After a Wildcat foul, Arlington hit one of two free throws. The ‘Cats failed to convert and were forced to foul again. The Eagles (2-3, 5-3) hit the free throws to set the final score.

Denmon finished with 24 points although she was the subject of an Arlington box-and-one defense. Nicole Mowbray took advantage of the focus on Denmon and chipped in with 20 points.

However, as has been the case all season, Oak Harbor wasn’t able to get much scoring from any but Denmon and Mowbray. Emilie Renninger and Jessica James had three points each, and that was it for the Wildcats although “we were getting shots,” according to McLeod.

One positive for the Wildcats was rebounding. Oak Harbor out rebounded Arlington 51-42. McLeod said Arlington was one of only two teams to outrebound Oak Harbor last year.

Oak Harbor (2-3, 5-4) hosts Stanwood Thursday, Jan. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

Contact Whidbey News Times Sports editor Jim Waller at jwaller@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5060.

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