LOGGERS CLIMB PAST FISHERMEN
Ilwaco could not sustain the momentum of a hot start as the Knappa Loggers defeated the Fishermen 59-50 at Aase Gymnasium Friday night.
The Fishermen sprinted to an 11-2 lead behind behind the hot shooting of senior guard Junior Talancon, who hit three straight shots from the field including a 3-pointer. Knappa closed to within 13-7 by the end of the period and completed an 11-2 run of its own to tie the game at 13 in the second period.
The game was back-and-forth from there until Knappa scored nine straight points in the third period, helped by two 3-point plays by 5-9 senior Brian Riffe. Riffe, who missed his first four foul shots, got in the lane twice, finishing drives with bank layups and converting the free throws as the Loggers went from 37-34 down to a 43-37 lead and would not trail the rest of the game. Riffe finished with a team-high 16 points, leading three Loggers in double figures.
"Brian Riffe killed us," said Jarrett. "I watched him play this summer and I talked to him a little bit this summer. He's such a good athlete. He'd break us down, he'd get in the paint, he'd draw the contact and make a 3-point play."
Jesse Moreland added 14 points and six rebounds for Knappa. Ryan Isom went 3-for-13 on 3-point shots to finish with 13 points and point guard Paul Isom bounced back from a tough 10-turnover night in a loss to Clatskanie to lead the team in rebounding with eight boards, adding eight points, four assists and two steals, while reducing his turnovers to four.
"Paul is our leading rebounder from the point guard position," said Knappa head coach Craig Cokley. "He's struggled a little bit against quicker, smaller people that are guarding him. He's the point guard, so he usually draws a smaller, quicker defender. He's a longer guy and has a loping dribble, but he's able to close it down. It's been good for him to play against that good pressure up front. He's struggled a little bit in the turnover department, but overall he gives us good direction, he's a really solid rebounder, he's long enough to help defend in the post when we rotate and he is an excellent passer who sees the floor very well. He's gonna do an outstanding job for us in league."
Knappa opens Northwest League play at home Tuesday night against the Corbett Cardinals.
Ilwaco was bolstered by the return of two players to the lineup, with 6-8 junior transfer Ryan Blake making his debut a quiet one with two points, four fouls and no rebounds in limited action. Cody Chalker also played in his first game, but did not score.
"Ryan hasn't practiced with us for about a week," said Ilwaco head coach Paul Jarrett of Blake, who was suspended from the first two games of the season for disciplinary reasons. "I didn't expect him to be in any kind of rhythm. I just wanted to get him a little court time and hope that he could help the team."
Anthony Wirkkala continued his strong play in the middle with 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. If Blake is able to consistently perform up to his considerable potential the Fishermen will have one formidable frontcourt.
"He's [Wirkkala, a 6-4 senior post] just a manchild. He takes every game to heart and plays like it's his last one and it definitely shows when he's playing."
The Loggers forced 20 Ilwaco turnovers and outrebounded the Fishermen and had a 15-4 edge in offensive rebounding.
"The second half, Knappa really picked up the intensity," said Jarrett. "We were hurting them on the boards in the first half and the second half they came out and hurt us on the boards. They started pushing the ball a lot more in the second half and we weren't quick enough to realize where our guys were that we were supposed to be guarding and they capitalized on it."
Ilwaco, now 1-2, travels to Seaside Tuesday to take on the 2-1 Seagulls.
KNAPPA 7 14 22 16--59
R. Isom 13, P. Isom 8, Moreland 14, Aho 2, Riffe 16, Bokor, West 2, Willsey, Montgomery 2, Boardman 2.
ILWACO 13 12 14 11--50
Blaylock 3, Wirkkala 19, Talancon 9, Kaino 10, Kirby 4, Blake 2, Whealdon 3, Cody Chalker.
FIELD GOALS-KNA: 23-54-43%, ILW: 23-46-50%
3-PT FG'S-KNA: 4-15-27%, ILW: 3-12-25%
FREE THROWS-KNA: 9-15-60%, ILW: 3-7-43%
REBOUNDS-KNA: 31, ILW: 27
TURNOVERS-KNA: 17, ILW: 20
The Fishermen sprinted to an 11-2 lead behind behind the hot shooting of senior guard Junior Talancon, who hit three straight shots from the field including a 3-pointer. Knappa closed to within 13-7 by the end of the period and completed an 11-2 run of its own to tie the game at 13 in the second period.
The game was back-and-forth from there until Knappa scored nine straight points in the third period, helped by two 3-point plays by 5-9 senior Brian Riffe. Riffe, who missed his first four foul shots, got in the lane twice, finishing drives with bank layups and converting the free throws as the Loggers went from 37-34 down to a 43-37 lead and would not trail the rest of the game. Riffe finished with a team-high 16 points, leading three Loggers in double figures.
"Brian Riffe killed us," said Jarrett. "I watched him play this summer and I talked to him a little bit this summer. He's such a good athlete. He'd break us down, he'd get in the paint, he'd draw the contact and make a 3-point play."
Jesse Moreland added 14 points and six rebounds for Knappa. Ryan Isom went 3-for-13 on 3-point shots to finish with 13 points and point guard Paul Isom bounced back from a tough 10-turnover night in a loss to Clatskanie to lead the team in rebounding with eight boards, adding eight points, four assists and two steals, while reducing his turnovers to four.
"Paul is our leading rebounder from the point guard position," said Knappa head coach Craig Cokley. "He's struggled a little bit against quicker, smaller people that are guarding him. He's the point guard, so he usually draws a smaller, quicker defender. He's a longer guy and has a loping dribble, but he's able to close it down. It's been good for him to play against that good pressure up front. He's struggled a little bit in the turnover department, but overall he gives us good direction, he's a really solid rebounder, he's long enough to help defend in the post when we rotate and he is an excellent passer who sees the floor very well. He's gonna do an outstanding job for us in league."
Knappa opens Northwest League play at home Tuesday night against the Corbett Cardinals.
Ilwaco was bolstered by the return of two players to the lineup, with 6-8 junior transfer Ryan Blake making his debut a quiet one with two points, four fouls and no rebounds in limited action. Cody Chalker also played in his first game, but did not score.
"Ryan hasn't practiced with us for about a week," said Ilwaco head coach Paul Jarrett of Blake, who was suspended from the first two games of the season for disciplinary reasons. "I didn't expect him to be in any kind of rhythm. I just wanted to get him a little court time and hope that he could help the team."
Anthony Wirkkala continued his strong play in the middle with 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. If Blake is able to consistently perform up to his considerable potential the Fishermen will have one formidable frontcourt.
"He's [Wirkkala, a 6-4 senior post] just a manchild. He takes every game to heart and plays like it's his last one and it definitely shows when he's playing."
The Loggers forced 20 Ilwaco turnovers and outrebounded the Fishermen and had a 15-4 edge in offensive rebounding.
"The second half, Knappa really picked up the intensity," said Jarrett. "We were hurting them on the boards in the first half and the second half they came out and hurt us on the boards. They started pushing the ball a lot more in the second half and we weren't quick enough to realize where our guys were that we were supposed to be guarding and they capitalized on it."
Ilwaco, now 1-2, travels to Seaside Tuesday to take on the 2-1 Seagulls.
KNAPPA 7 14 22 16--59
R. Isom 13, P. Isom 8, Moreland 14, Aho 2, Riffe 16, Bokor, West 2, Willsey, Montgomery 2, Boardman 2.
ILWACO 13 12 14 11--50
Blaylock 3, Wirkkala 19, Talancon 9, Kaino 10, Kirby 4, Blake 2, Whealdon 3, Cody Chalker.
FIELD GOALS-KNA: 23-54-43%, ILW: 23-46-50%
3-PT FG'S-KNA: 4-15-27%, ILW: 3-12-25%
FREE THROWS-KNA: 9-15-60%, ILW: 3-7-43%
REBOUNDS-KNA: 31, ILW: 27
TURNOVERS-KNA: 17, ILW: 20
posted by Matt Richert at 8:04 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home