Wolverines falter in OT playoff loss to Falcons; 58-49 | Boys basketball

With only four seconds remaining in regulation Falcons senior Charlie Fletcher buried a three-point shot from the corner to tie the score at 47 points apiece and send the game into overtime.

By Scott Rasmussen • February 18, 2015 3:03 pm
Kyle Jangard elevates for a shot over the Falcons Sheldon Seui in Friday Harbor's regular-season contest against Auburn Adventist at home Jan. 31. Jangard scored a team-high 18 points in a loss to the Falcons Feb. 17
Kyle Jangard elevates for a shot over the Falcons Sheldon Seui in Friday Harbor's regular-season contest against Auburn Adventist at home Jan. 31. Jangard scored a team-high 18 points in a loss to the Falcons Feb. 17

There was no disparity at the free-throw line this time around.

Instead, it was a lack of points in overtime that proved the difference-maker in Friday Harbor’s second loss in a five-game regular-season ending stretch to Auburn Adventist, a 58-49 heartbreaker at home, Tuesday, in the Wolverines post-season opener.

Friday Harbor, capitalizing on its size advantage down low, grabbed the early advantage and led by 10 points at the half, 27-17. Junior low-post player Kyle Jangard tallied a team-high 18 points and fellow junior Luke Stromberg had 11.

But the Falcons caught fire from beyond the three-point stripe in the second half, knocking down eight of 10 treys in the game after the break and chipping away at the deficit.

Senior Gabe Chaikin scored 20 of a game-high 26 points after the break, including a pair of three-point buckets in the overtime period.

With only four seconds remaining in regulation Falcons senior Charlie Fletcher buried a three-point shot from the corner to tie the score at 47 points apiece and send the game into overtime.

Auburn Adventist outscored the Wolverines 9-2 in the extra period to ice the win and earn a berth in the 2B district championship game against La Conner.

The Falcons’ Chaikin scored 36 points to lead all scorers in a come-from-behind victory over the Wolverines in a Jan. 31 contest in Friday Harbor. The Falcons knocked down 29-of-36 free-throw attempts in that game, while the Wolverines went to the free-throw stripe just 10 times. The Falcons tallied 10 points on 16 free-throw attempts and Friday Harbor scored 10 points on 19 attempts in the post-season game.

Friday Harbor leading scorer Peter Strasser was limited to six points in Tuesday’s game, and fellow senior Gabe Lawson contributed six as well.

With the a loss in their post-season opener, the Wolverines will face league-rival Concrete in a district 2B playoff consolation elimination game Thursday, Feb. 19, at Sedro Woolley High School; tip off is 4:15 p.m.

With a win, they would battle the loser of the district championship game, Auburn Adventist or La Conner, in a “do-or-die” contest Saturday, at Sedro Woolley, and with a berth in the 2B regional tournament at stake.