STANWOOD – Thanks to Chris Hilliard’s clutch game-winning performance, the Cascade Bruins are on the verge of adding another plaque to their gym.
Hilliard scored four of his team-high 17 points in the final 45 seconds to lift Cascade to a 52-48 victory over the resilient Stanwood Spartans in a Western Conference North Division boys basketball game Tuesday night at the Stanwood High gym. After his team blew a 17-point lead, Hilliard broke a 48-48 tie with a mid-range jump shot and calmly made two free throws with five seconds remaining to clinch the victory.
With one game remaining in the regular season, Cascade (12-3 in division, 13-6 overall) clinched no worse than a tie for the league title. If Mount Vernon, which travels to face Cascade, (11-4, 13-5), Snohomish (11-4, 14-5) and Marysville-Pilchuck (11-4, 12-7) all win Thursday night, it would create a four-way tie for first place.
Cascade hasn’t won a division championship since the 1998-99 season – also the last time it advanced to a state tournament.
Junior forward Marcus Guffey contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds for Cascade. The Bruins led 38-21 midway through the third quarter before holding off Stanwood (8-7, 10-9), which was eliminated from postseason play. The Spartans snared 17 steals and forced 22 turnovers, but Hilliard, a junior guard, helped Cascade hold on.
“I had a lot of confidence in our guys that we were gonna pull through,” Cascade coach Kevin Rohrich said. “The kids kept their cool in a tough environment.”
It marked the first game-winning moment for Hilliard, who said he hopes to be in the same position again. “When the time comes,” he said, “I’m confident I can do it.”
Cascade, which has won four consecutive games and 10 of its past 12, had already clinched a spot in the Class 4A District 1 tournament.
Stanwood won’t make the playoffs, but it rebounded from a 1-5 start with a spirited late run. The Spartans, who will return three starters next season, had won six of their previous seven games. “We’re excited about our team for next year,” Stanwood coach Nate DuChesne said, “but we really wanted to finish up strong.”
DuChesne said Stanwood was too impatient on offense and settled for long jump shots. The Spartans shot 2-for-14 from 3-point range, including 0-for-10 by season-long leading scorer Kaufman (10 points). Aaron Boehme scored 12 of his team-high 17 points in the second half for Stanwood.
Sean Carter scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds for Cascade, which out-rebounded Stanwood 29-20. The Bruins made 66 percent of their 2-point attempts.
Hilliard has hurt Stanwood before. He scored a team-high 17 points Jan. 15 when Cascade beat the Spartans 63-59 in overtime. The guard said he and his teammates are excited about the prospect of claiming a league title, but they have to remain calm and take care of business Thursday.
Following a first quarter that featured five lead changes and ended with Stanwood ahead 13-12, Cascade pulled in front with a 10-2 run that began early in the second quarter. The Bruins used effective interior passing on offense and strong rebounding on both ends of the floor to go up 22-15 with 3:40 to play in the first half.
Stanwood got within three points with 2:30 remaining in the second quarter, but Cascade closed the half with an 8-2 run to take a 30-21 lead to the locker room. The Bruins scored the last four points of the spurt at the free-throw line, going 4-for-4 with three seconds to play in the half. Guffey made two and then Hilliard, who led everyone with nine first-half points, added two more after DuChesne was whistled for a technical foul.
Cascade quickly built a 17-point lead in the third quarter before weathering a turnover spree and taking a 42-34 lead to the final period.
Fueled by Kaufman and Boehme’s defensive energy, Stanwood roared back in the fourth quarter. The Spartans used a 12-2 spurt to take their first lead (46-44) since the first minute of the second quarter. The teams traded the lead three more times, but Hilliard’s mid-range jump shot with 45 seconds to go gave Cascade the lead for good.
At Stanwood
Cascade12 18 1210 – 52
Stanwood 13 8 1314 – 48
Cascade-Matson 9, Hilliard 17, Guffey 10, Carter 10, Thomas 4, Snel 2. Stanwood-Cayford 7, Boehme 17, Welk 6, Kaufman 10, Anderson 8. 3-point goals-Matson, Hilliard, Cayford, Boehme. JV score-Stanwood 65, Cascade 55. Records-Cascade 12-3 in league, 13-6 overall. Stanwood 8-7, 10-9.
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