Good start, bad finish.
The Oak Harbor High School boys basketball raced to an early lead but stumbled at the end as Everett defeated the host Wildcats 67-62 in overtime Thursday, Jan. 20.
The loss muddied up Oak Harbor’s playoff chances. A win would have put the Wildcats two games up on Everett in the fight for the final district berth, but now the two teams are tied for sixth (the final playoff slot) with 3-7 records. Also, Everett (3-7, 5-11) defeated Oak Harbor twice and holds the tie-breaker. Both clubs are a half game behind fifth-place Shorewood (3-6, 6-9).
Four games remain and Oak Harbor (3-7, 4-12) must face the top four teams in the Wesco 3A standings, starting at fourth-place Mountlake Terrace (6-5, 7-10) Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
In Thursday’s loss to Everett, the Wildcats played their third overtime game in the past five contests.
The Wildcats started strong, going up 14-2 early in the second quarter. Behind Devante Edwards’ eight points, the Seagulls trimmed the gap to 20-18 with 1:48 left in the half, then Oak Harbor’s Jay Stout hit a three to give the ‘Cats a 23-18 lead at halftime.
Everett tied the game several times, including at the end of the third quarter, 36-36, but never lead until six minutes remained in the game. From there the two teams traded leads down the stretch.
When Mike Washington Jr. scored off an Everett turnover with 1:13 left, Oak Harbor led 52-49. The Seagulls were saved by the next sequence.
Lucas Sonta grabbed an offensive rebound and scored. He was fouled on the play but missed the free throw. Everett snared Sonta’s miss and Edwards drained a three. The five-point swing gave Everett a 54-52 lead.
Oak Harbor then missed a layup and fouled to stop the clock.
Sonta hit one of two free throws, then Stout tied it with a clutch three with 17 seconds left.
An Everett turnover gave Oak Harbor the ball with 5.2 seconds remaining. Washington Jr. missed a knifing drive to the hoop at the buzzer.
Everett’s Gabe Woods started overtime with a three-pointer and Stout answered. Two Oak Harbor misses, both threes, mixed in with three Everett free throws and bucket put the Seagulls up 63-58 with 52 seconds left.
Denzel Massey scored for Oak Harbor and the Wildcats fouled with 23 seconds left. Everett made both free throws. Again Massey scored, and again Everett hit two foul shots to finish the scoring.
Stout scored 20 points and hit four threes for Oak Harbor. Massey netted 15 points. The Wildcats’ leading scorer, Washington Jr., had a woeful night shooting, hitting just five of 22 shots and three of six free throws for 14 points. He did have a team-high three assists. Stevie Bratt (one-of-eight) also struggled from the field but grabbed 10 rebounds and four steals.
Kevawn Brooks added five points, Trace Paul four and Connor Paul two.
Oak Harbor out rebounded Everett 48-32 and committed 10 less turnovers (11 to 21). Everett, however, shot 46.8 percent (22 of 47) from the field to Oak Harbor’s 35.8 percent (24 of 67).
Oak Harbor also hurt itself at the line, sinking just eight of 17; Everett was 17 of 28.
Oak Harbor coach Mike Washington Sr. said, “We have to move on from this game; we have four games to go. I feel if we win at least two of those we still have a shot at making the playoffs.”
