ROUGH AND TUMBLE, ASTORIA FALLS
It was definitely not the pace the Astoria Boys Basketball is used to or prefers. And in a gymnasium that has not allowed too many visitors to come away with victories proved difficult again as #4 Astoria dropped a hard-fought 37-35 Cowapa League contest to Tillamook on Thursday night.
The Fishermen reputation for frenetic defense, high-octane offense, and propensity for dictating the tempo was set aside as the Cheesemakers packed in a 2-3 zone the entire evening. Tillamook waited out the Astoria stall to try and pull the 'Mooks out of their zone and moved themselves into a second-place tie with the Fishermen in the Cowapa League and split the season series between the two rivals.
"It was just a matter of us not making the best decisions," said Chris Hunt, Astoria coach after the league loss. "A play here, a play there and the outcome might have been different."
The Fishermen came out blazing in the 1st Quarter, scoring 15 unanswered points as Tillamook and their normally raucous crowd seemed shell-shocked. The 'Mooks finally got a bucket on a Buster Hartford 5-foot jumper with just 1:44 left in the quarter. Outscoring Astoria 8-3 to clsoe out the 1st, Tillamook found themselves down by 10 after the 1st period buzzer, 18-8.
Then the Cheesemakers climbed back from within the hole by scoring the first 8 points of the second quarter as Travis Churchill and Hartford combined for 7 points and the 'Mook defense held the Fishermen to just 7 points in the period.
"We got out of what we wanted to do," according to Hunt. "You get comfortable (with the lead) and start making some bad decisions because it seemed that everything was dropping for us."
At the break, Astoria still held the lead, 23-17, but the partisan crowd was back in the game, and the confidence of the Cheesemakers started to climb. Astoria kept quiet on the offensive end in the 3rd Quarter, as Tillamook outscored the Fishermen 10-5 to pull within one heading into the final frame, 30-29.
Playing without Chris Barksdale, who was serving a one-game OSAA suspension for being ejected against Seaside, Tillamook relied on Senior swingman Andrew Baertlein, who responded by pouring in 9 points in the decisive second half, including the final bucket for the 'Mooks with just over a minute left in the game, off a Hartford miss, giving the Cheesemakers a 37-35 advantage.
Astoria still had a chance to either tie or win the game with a three, and patiently looked for an open shot, holding the ball and trying to pull Tillamook out of their zone. The 'Mooks wouldn't budge, and after a timeout, Astoria's Andy Murray drove down the lane, only to be tied up by Tillamook's Travis Churchill. The jump-ball possession arrow pointed to the Fishermen with just 2.6 seconds left.
"The play was designed for Tony (Robinson) to come off a set of screens and get an open look," Hunt stated. "We got the shot we wanted."
But the launch from the right baseline corner was just off the mark, and Tillamook secured the win at home.
Astoria (15-5, 5-2), now travels to Cowapa League-leader Yamhill-Carlton on Tuesday night, while Tillamook (11-5, 5-2) will head on the road against Scappoose. The Astoria game can be heard live on KAST 1370 AM starting with the pre-game show at 7:05 pm.
ASTORIA - 18 7 5 5 - 35
Murray 9, Landwehr 4, Poyer 6, Macareno 5, Anderson 9, Faulkner 2, Culver
TILLAMOOK - 8 11 10 8 - 37
Baertlein 14, Hartford 13, Churchill C. 5, Ellison 1, Churchill T. 4, Begin, Widmer
FIELD GOALS: AST:13-24-54% TIL: 14-31-45%
3 PT FG'S: AST: 5-7-71% TIL: 3-11-27%
FREE THROWS: AST: 4-7-57% TIL: 6-8-75%
REBOUNDS: AST: 17 TIL: 13
The Fishermen reputation for frenetic defense, high-octane offense, and propensity for dictating the tempo was set aside as the Cheesemakers packed in a 2-3 zone the entire evening. Tillamook waited out the Astoria stall to try and pull the 'Mooks out of their zone and moved themselves into a second-place tie with the Fishermen in the Cowapa League and split the season series between the two rivals.
"It was just a matter of us not making the best decisions," said Chris Hunt, Astoria coach after the league loss. "A play here, a play there and the outcome might have been different."
The Fishermen came out blazing in the 1st Quarter, scoring 15 unanswered points as Tillamook and their normally raucous crowd seemed shell-shocked. The 'Mooks finally got a bucket on a Buster Hartford 5-foot jumper with just 1:44 left in the quarter. Outscoring Astoria 8-3 to clsoe out the 1st, Tillamook found themselves down by 10 after the 1st period buzzer, 18-8.
Then the Cheesemakers climbed back from within the hole by scoring the first 8 points of the second quarter as Travis Churchill and Hartford combined for 7 points and the 'Mook defense held the Fishermen to just 7 points in the period.
"We got out of what we wanted to do," according to Hunt. "You get comfortable (with the lead) and start making some bad decisions because it seemed that everything was dropping for us."
At the break, Astoria still held the lead, 23-17, but the partisan crowd was back in the game, and the confidence of the Cheesemakers started to climb. Astoria kept quiet on the offensive end in the 3rd Quarter, as Tillamook outscored the Fishermen 10-5 to pull within one heading into the final frame, 30-29.
Playing without Chris Barksdale, who was serving a one-game OSAA suspension for being ejected against Seaside, Tillamook relied on Senior swingman Andrew Baertlein, who responded by pouring in 9 points in the decisive second half, including the final bucket for the 'Mooks with just over a minute left in the game, off a Hartford miss, giving the Cheesemakers a 37-35 advantage.
Astoria still had a chance to either tie or win the game with a three, and patiently looked for an open shot, holding the ball and trying to pull Tillamook out of their zone. The 'Mooks wouldn't budge, and after a timeout, Astoria's Andy Murray drove down the lane, only to be tied up by Tillamook's Travis Churchill. The jump-ball possession arrow pointed to the Fishermen with just 2.6 seconds left.
"The play was designed for Tony (Robinson) to come off a set of screens and get an open look," Hunt stated. "We got the shot we wanted."
But the launch from the right baseline corner was just off the mark, and Tillamook secured the win at home.
Astoria (15-5, 5-2), now travels to Cowapa League-leader Yamhill-Carlton on Tuesday night, while Tillamook (11-5, 5-2) will head on the road against Scappoose. The Astoria game can be heard live on KAST 1370 AM starting with the pre-game show at 7:05 pm.
ASTORIA - 18 7 5 5 - 35
Murray 9, Landwehr 4, Poyer 6, Macareno 5, Anderson 9, Faulkner 2, Culver
TILLAMOOK - 8 11 10 8 - 37
Baertlein 14, Hartford 13, Churchill C. 5, Ellison 1, Churchill T. 4, Begin, Widmer
FIELD GOALS: AST:13-24-54% TIL: 14-31-45%
3 PT FG'S: AST: 5-7-71% TIL: 3-11-27%
FREE THROWS: AST: 4-7-57% TIL: 6-8-75%
REBOUNDS: AST: 17 TIL: 13
posted by Danny Havel at 10:15 AM
2 Comments:
When starters are having so many turnovers maybe it is time for the coaching staff to do something they have been unable to do in the past. Sit them on the BENCH. Even if it is only for one play it would at least make it look like they have to earn their time on the floor. AS it is NOW they get there playing time and to heck with the kids who have to sit on the bench every single game......
Hey would you guys ask Hunt about not using all his weapons. I know Alf was coming off an ankle injury but good grief he should have been in their a little more. Also it seems like Poyer struggles in the big games. Looked terrible at Linfield and was terrible at Tilly. Sit the youngster down and settle him down after the 3rd turnover in a row....
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