Knights top ‘Cats

Published 11:13 pm Friday, February 1, 2008

EVERETT

Erich Fuhlendorf poured in a career-high 35 points as King’s turned a close game into a rout in the fourth quarter against Archbishop Murphy Jan. 29.

With King’s up 48-42 early in the fourth quarter, Fuhlendorf scored King’s next 11 points as the Knights put the game out of reach and won 65-51.

Fuhlendorf had 15 points at the half but 12 of those points came on 3-point shots. But in the second half, the Knights started going inside.

“We found some holes in the zone,” King’s coach Bill Liley said. “He got some open looks he took advantage of. If Erich is getting shots out of our offense … they’re good points.”

King’s only led 32-30 at the half. The Knights went up by as many as five, but J.D. Melton scored five straight points, including a 3-pointer, to tie it at 28. King’s center Dylan O’Neil added a pair of free throws before the half to give King’s a slight edge.

“At half we were right where we wanted to be,” Archbishop Murphy coach Jerry Zander said.

But King’s started the third quarter in 9-0 run, and fewer shots came from the perimeter.

“That was the difference in the second half,” Zander said. “They got a ton of buckets in the lane.”

King’s also held Archbishop Murphy to 21 points in the second half. Archbishop Murphy made 16-of-39 field goals in the game for 41 percent, including 5-of-9 3-pointers, but made only 4-of-17 shots in the second half.

“We just had to pick up the defensive intensity,” Fuhlendorf said of the second half effort.

King’s beat Archbishop Murphy 48-29 in the teams’ first meeting, a game in which the Wildcats did not score in double-digits in a quarter. At home, they eclipsed their total of the first game in the first half, and got in an offensive rhythm early.

“They play well at home,” Liley said. “They got after us in the first half. Kids did a good job of adjusting at the half.”

King’s improved to 10-0 in the Cascade Conference and 12-4 overall. Archbishop Murphy fell to 4-5 and 6-9.

“I feel we’re playing OK. It could be better but we’re improving,” Fuhlendorf said.

The Wildcats have five games left in conference play and Zander said building consistency will be the key going into districts. Nine different players scored against King’s led by forwards Melton, who had 11, and Joey Clancy who added 10. “We need everyone playing at a high level,” Zander said.

Fuhlendorf grabbed eight rebounds, O’Neil had a career-high nine blocks and point guard Bryan Ayers had a career-high 11 assists. Fuhlendorf, who said he takes 300 shots after practice every day, seems to always play well against the Wildcats. He scored a game-high 21 points in the first meeting.

King’s shot 23-of-47 for 49 percent including 7-of-16 3-pointers.

The Knights shot 12-of-16 from the line or 75 percent. Archbishop Murphy made 14-of-23 free throws or 61 percent.