EVERETT — Free throws can often make the difference in a close basketball game. In Friday’s non-conference boys basketball game between Archbishop Murphy and Sammamish, the Wildcats lost the free-throw battle in more ways than one.
As a result, the Wildcats also lost the game, 57-52.
The Totems shot 36 free throws compared to just 18 for Archbishop Murphy. Making matters worse for the Wildcats, they made just 61 percent on the 18 free throws they shot.
“They scored more on free throws than we took,” Archbishop Murphy head coach James Rowe said.
Rowe said a state tournament-caliber team needs to shoot at least 70 percent on its free throws in a close game, a number the Wildcats came up well short of, though they stayed within striking distance of the Totems.
“We just couldn’t get over the hump,” Rowe said. “We didn’t really attack their pressure. We were almost just happy to break it instead of making them pay for pressing us.”
The Wildcats trailed 15-12 at the end of the first quarter and never trailed by more than six until late in the fourth quarter.
Sammamish built its lead behind seniors Noah Jackson and Vlad Yadevich. Jackson led all scorers with 24 and Yadevich added 18 for the Totems. Both players were able to take advantage of the Archbishop Murphy defense when the Totems broke the Wildcats’ press.
“When we press, we don’t always fall back into straight (man-to-man defense) and we lost (Jackson) a few times,” Rowe said. “The same with (Yadevich). He’s a taller point guard, so sometimes my big guy thought he could just go check him, not realizing that even though he’s 6-3 and he’s their shooter. He’s not their big guy. In the second half, we didn’t trap and fall back. We just used man pressure and made everyone accountable.”
The Wildcats’ defense did a better job on both players in the second half, but it didn’t translate to success on the scoreboard. Archbishop Murphy got to within a point once and within two several times, but the poise and experience of the Totems paid off.
“I don’t think we played well, but I think it made us better,” Rowe said. “I’ve got a little more to go on as far as an intense, rated team that is good. They’re a little taller (than us). They’ve got 12 seniors. I’ve got two. That was a great game for us to play and it’s going to make us better down the road as we get ready to continue in the league and hopefully into districts.”
With 1:44 to play in the fourth quarter, Sammamish extended its advantage to more than six for the first time in the second half. It proved to be too much for the Wildcats to overcome.
While the bulk of the Totem’s offensive load was carried by two players, Archbishop Murphy was more balanced. Josh Parafina led the way with 12 and Chase White had 11. Eight of the 10 players that played for the Wildcats scored.
The scoring distribution was one of the few differences on and off the court between the two teams. Both teams use full-court pressure to attempt to disrupt their opponents. Both teams came into the game with just one loss. And both teams received votes in the most recent 2A Associated Press poll.
“We were excited to play (a team) that plays like we do,” Rowe said. “I wasn’t excited by the fact that we didn’t attack the pressure.”
At Archbishop Murphy H.S.
Sammamish 15 16 11 15 — 57
Arch. Murphy 12 16 9 15 — 52
Sammamish—Pedram Etiehadolhagh 0, Abu Drammeh 0, Nick Degallier 0, Shane McCarthy 4, Noah Jackson 24, Ahrif McKee 1, Michael Shinaul 3, Greyson Elmes 0, Vlad Yadevich 18, Eniah McClinton 7. Archbishop Murphy—Chase White 11, Ben Thacker 0, Houston Schmutz 6, Josh Parafina 12, Abraham Lucas 8, Darion Joseph 0, Bailey Halpin 4, Anfernee Gurley 2, Jaylon Carter 7, D’Andre Bryant 2. 3-point goals—Jackson 1, Yadevich 3, White 1, Schmutz 2. Records—Sammamish 8-1 overall. Archbishop Murphy 8-2.
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