Wildcats find good luck in old uniforms / Boys basketball

By Jim Waller • February 2, 2017 1:30 am

Maybe it was the jerseys.

The Oak Harbor High School boys basketball team, donning throwback uniforms first worn by the 2000 Wildcats, broke a nine-game losing streak with a 54-51 non-league win over visiting Burlington-Edison Tuesday, Jan. 31.

The Wildcats overcame a third-quarter meltdown with a strong finish to pick up their third win of the winter.

Oak Harbor (0-10, 3-15) will now try to collect its first Wesco win when it wraps up the season with a pair of conference games. The Wildcats go to Marysville-Pilchuck (5-5, 10-8) at 7:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, and then host Meadowdale (5-5, 6-12) at 7:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6.

The Burlington-Edison game was close most of the contest, but Oak Harbor went on an 8-0 run in the third quarter to go up 34-26. Then, in a two-and-a-half minute span, the Tigers forced four consecutive turnovers to score 9 straight points for a 35-34 lead going into the fourth quarter.

A bucket by Wildcat Haven Brown tied the game at 44 with 4:08 left in the game. Brown then hit two more hoops and Adam Nelson added a pair of free throws to give Oak Harbor another 8-0 run and a 50-44 lead.

Four more Nelson free throws enabled Oak Harbor to hold off the Tigers, who got to within two, 53-51, with seven seconds remaining.

Six points from Ozell Jackson and 4 from JJ Mitchell helped Oak Harbor lead 15-13 after one quarter. Six different Wildcats scored in the second period, and Oak Harbor went into the locker room with a 26-21 lead.

Five free throws (one by Nelson and a pair each from Mitchell and Gavin Allen) and a three-ball by Gabe Salinger provided the points in the 8-0 third-quarter run.

Burlington-Edison committed 22 fouls in the game, and Oak Harbor responded by sinking 22 of 31 free throws. The Tigers shot just nine foul shots, hitting five, on 13 Wildcat fouls.

Sophomore Brown led Oak Harbor with 14 points and nine rebounds.

“Haven Brown had a huge game for us, especially down the stretch,” coach John Weston said. “Adam Nelson did a good job leading the show.”

Point guard Nelson finished with 11 points, and Mitchell added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Jackson tallied 6 points, Salinger 5, Allen 4, Joe Arinaza 3 and Kevin Schuldt 1. Justin Ellison had five rebounds and two blocks.

B-E’s Tyce Konkle, with five three-pointers, scored a game-high 19 points.

Weston said his club “followed the game plan” and “played good defense.”

“We ran a match-up zone; the kids are getting pretty good at it.

“It was a nice win; hopefully, we can get some momentum.”

Oak Harbor’s Haven Brown dribbles by Burlington-Edison’s Taino Ferninand. Brown led Oak Harbor with 14 points and nine rebounds. (Photo by John Fisken)