Facing the season’s end, South Whidbey’s boys basketball team will have one more shot Wednesday to keep playing.
The Falcons fell to the Meridian Trojans 76-62 on Monday in the first round of the 1A District 1 boys basketball tournament at Meridian High School. It was the second time this season Meridian manhandled South Whidbey; the first was the season-opener, a 59-43 victory on the Falcons’ court.
Losing came with a silver lining of sorts. South Whidbey (4-10 Cascade Conference, 5-15 overall) will host Nooksack Valley (0-12 Northwest Conference, 0-21 overall) at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12.
South Whidbey failed to capitalize on decent nights from its top scorers. Junior Parker Collins scored a game-high 24 points, including four three-pointers, and senior Brandon Asay added 14 points.
Meridian (6-6 Northwest Conference, 12-10 overall) took a lead in the first quarter and stretched it to a 38-31 halftime advantage. The Trojans grounded the Falcons to 13 points in the third quarter while stretching their lead to 55-44.
Both teams favored outside shots. South Whidbey scored 10 three-point field goals; Meridian hit 11, including three from Alex Martin, who scored a team-high 21 points.
It was the Falcons’ fourth loss in a row, which came on the heels of South Whidbey’s first winning streak of the season.
South Whidbey lost its last Cascade Conference game of the season in a rout to Granite Falls, 91-77. It was the most points South Whidbey allowed in a game all season, but was also the most points South Whidbey scored in a single game.
The Tigers may have roared past the Falcons behind 11 three-pointers, but they allowed Collins to score a game-high 27 points. Whereas South Whidbey found success from beyond the three-point arc in other games, it cost them dearly against Granite Falls. The Falcons scored only two three-pointers in their final league game, both from senior CJ Sutfin.
District playoff
South Whidbey’s boys basketball team will host a loser-out 1A District 1 tournament game at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 at South Whidbey High School.
The Falcons host the Nooksack Valley Pioneers, who have not won a game.
