Unable to fully exploit their chief scoring resource Tuesday night, the South Whidbey boys have exited the 2003 playoff.
As has happened so many times this year, the Falcons found yet another member of their lineup to lead the team in this week’s home game against Mount Baker, but just couldn’t feed him enough passes to win. So while senior Brandon Adams did net 20 points to lead his team, including a late 3-pointer that put his team up in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to keep the Mountaineers at bay to the buzzer.
The 68-65 loss, the Falcons’ second to Mount Baker this year, squashed any hopes that they might make it into district playoffs. Having lost nine of their last 10 games, the Falcons (2-11 in the North Cascades Conference and 6-11 overall) can no longer make it into the top six slots in the conference, the necessary placing to qualify for post-season play.
The way things started Tuesday night, however, the Falcons looked like a playoff-bound team. Taking the lead from the tipoff, they kept Mount Baker down by two to three points for most of the first half by spreading offensive duties and blocking the defensive lane to force the Mountaineers to shoot from the outside.
Relying heavily on Adams, whose shooting hand was as hot as its been since scoring 22 against Sultan on Dec. 19, the Falcons had just enough success against the Mountaineer’s defensive press to be up by three at the half. Repeatedly tearing through the defense from the left side, the 6-foot Adams was the only South Whidbey player who had reliable inside penetration on the night.
In the third quarter, the South Whidbey boys began to slip. Fouling early and often, the Falcons put Mount Baker in the bonus with 4:35 to go in the period. Though they, too, would be in the bonus by quarter’s end, the Mountaineers picked up extra points early and cut the South Whidbey lead to one.
The remainder of the game was catch up for the Falcons. To circumvent South Whidbey’s inside pressure, the Mountaineers shot from the outside, hitting six three-pointers for the game. Two of them came in the team’s 20-point fourth quarter.
Though Falcon senior point guard Brandon Turner and junior Travis Tornga answered with a trey apiece, the damage was done. Turner, who was his team’s second most productive shooter with 10 points, gave the Falcons their last lead, putting South Whidbey up 65-64 with less than a minute to play with a trip to the free throw line. But Mount Baker came back with a field goal and two free throws of their own to put the game away.
With three games remaining, the Falcons will not be able to equal their 7-15 record from last season. The team plays its final home game of the year Tuesday against playoff-bound Lynden Christian.
