Sweet Home 83
Estacada 31
The Huskies let go of one tradition Thursday night when they blew out Estacada 83-31.
In recent years, Husky tradition seems to call for consistent drama in one-point games and last-second wins. No more. At least temporarily, things changed last week when Estacada failed to ever threaten the Huskies at all.
The Huskies held Estacada scoreless almost all of the first quarter. The Huskies led 13-0 with 1:24 left when Estacada put points on the board only after Matt Matuszak sent an Estacada player to the foul line for two. Estacada had an abbreviated run trading baskets with the Huskies to finish the quarter 17-6.
The Huskies added nine points in the first two minutes of the second quarter, leading 26-6 after almost three minutes. Estacada scored again with about 5:33 left on the half. The Huskies finished the first half leading 32-18.
The Huskies created a 35-4 run on the third period to take a devastating 67-22 lead. Many of those points came at the free-throw line.
“I’ll tell you what part of the tradition they epitomized,” Coach Mark Risen said. “They’re a team. Everyone is together. They’re together. Every single guy out their is fighting for every other guy out there.”
Earlier this season, Coach Risen said he reined his team in to teach discipline.
“This group of guys likes to play wide open,” Coach Risen said. The last couple of games, he let them. Now they seem to understand when they need to play wide open or more conservatively.
“We played well,” Coach Risen said. Estacada played poorly. “Our defense gave them fits and created a lot of offense for us with the fast break.”
The players themselves are talking about the differences between early struggles and losses with the intensity they bring to the court now, Coach Risen said. The intensity level has increase, with “every loose ball a life and death situation.”
The team has developed a chemistry offensively and is gelling defensively, Coach Risen said. The team is starting to understand how to adjust its defense.
“I’m very pleased right now with the way they’re playing,” Coach Risen said. “We still have some room to improve.”
Knowing they can play, carrying the confidence they do, is a good thing for the team as it heads into conference play in a week, Coach Risen said.
Wes Smith and Josh Bondesen led in scoring with 17 points each. Nik Walker and Jake Gaskey each added 11 points. Aaron Hegge scored 10; Matt Matuszak, six; Sam Posthuma, five; Kevin Furry, four; Casey Aiello, two; and Brian Seward.
The Huskies play next at 5 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) in a tournament against Willamette at Silverton. They play their next game at 5 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday).
Sweet Home 72
Marist 53
Following Thursday night’s win, the Sweet Home High School Boys Basketball team finished out the week holding off a third-quarter charge by Marist Friday night and winning 72-53.
The Huskies led most of the game, building a 19-14 lead in the first quarter and a 35-21 lead at halftime.
Marist made a run to cut the lead to one in the third quarter, but the team’s attack was repulsed by the Huskies who led 44-38 at the end of the quarter.
“They were having a hard time with our press,” Coach Mark Risen said. Marist came out of the locker at half pressing and aggressive while the Huskies tried to set into their man-to-man defense. When the Huskies settled back into their offense and started pressing again, “the wheels came off for them (Marist).”
Furry led the Huskies with 17 points. Walker and Bondesen each scored 13 points. Gaskey scored 10 points; Smith, nine; Matuszak, five; Hegge, three; Aiello, two; Seward; and Posthuma.