Sweet Home 46, Molalla 42
Molalla came out on fire Friday night, but it didn’t last long and the Husky boys basketball team put the Indians down at home 46-42.
Molalla jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the first quarter based on 6-8 shooting from the field, Huskies Coach Tim Little said. The Huskies went on a 14-0 run to take a lead they would never lose the rest of the game.
The teams were tied 16-16 at halftime, the midpoint in the Huskies’ run. The Huskies led 26-22 at the end of the third quarter. Both teams scored 20 points in the fourth quarter.
During the second and third quarters, “we really focused on contesting every shot they had,” Little said. “That first quarter they (Molalla) were on fire” and the Huskies gave up some second chances in the form of offensive boards.
The Huskies focused on blocking out and stopping those second chances, Little said. He thought the team was “relaxed a little bit playing early at 5:30” for the first time this year.
Molalla got close in the fourth quarter, Little said, but Brandon Weist hit a three followed by Brandon Smith hitting two threes, almost back to back, to stop a Molalla run, Little said. “And then we had some great defensive stops. Charlie Fitzsimons had three steals in the fourth quarter.”
Cody Shipp led the Huskies with 11 points. Smith added 10; Ryan Elliott, nine; Fitzsimons, seven; Weist, five; Gabe Kauffman, two; and Anthony Hoffman, two.
Glynn led Molalla with 14 points. Spanfellner added 11, and Kutzer, nine.
North Marion 58, Sweet Home 45
On Jan. 31, North Marion’s Adam Brickley brought his dominating height to the North Marion floor to lead a 58-45 win over Sweet Home.
“North Marion’s big this year, and they were very physical,” Little said. “A lot of Brickley’s buckets were off his own misses.”
The Huskies gave up 19 offensive boards to North Marion, Little said, and with the size difference, the Huskies cannot afford to let that happen.
Brickley is 6 foot 5 inches and was second-team all league last year, Little said. “He’s definitely one of the better players in our league.”
He scored 25 points to lead North Marion.
The Huskies made mistakes and gave up two and three chances for North Marion to score, Little said. “We’re not good enough to give up those mistakes.”
The Huskies never got the momentum or control of the game, Little said.
Sweet Home trailed 14-11 after the first quarter and then 28-19 at halftime. At the end of the third, North Marion led 41-36.
Kauffman led Husky scoring with nine points; Weist, eight; Elliott, eight; Hoffman, seven; Smith, six; Shipp, five; Tim Faulconer, three; and Colton Emmert, two.
For North Marion, Steven Grigsby added eight; and Mike McCormick, Jon Hattiy and John Murphy added six each.
The Huskies face Sisters for the second time this season on Friday.
“We really felt like we should have won that game at home,” Little said. “Going into Sisters (at Sisters), for us going into playoffs, it’s a must-win situation.
“Even sitting in fifth place right now, we’re still working hard, and we’re trying to fix the mistakes that are costing us games. We’re expecting more out of ourselves these last two weeks. The kids don’t feel like they’re 2-4.”
They’re capable of playing with anybody, Little said.
The Huskies has defeated Sisters at Sisters for the last two years.
The team must finish fifth in league to compete in conference playoffs.