MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Six days after a tough 46-36 loss to undefeated Auburn Mountainview, the Jackson boys basketball team got back to work Friday afternoon at the Mountlake Terrace Holiday Tournament. Their opponent was the 1-5 Squalicum Storm, who were in the midst of a five-game losing streak.
What seemed like a chance for a bounce-back game quickly spiraled into Jackson fighting to play catch-up. Cold shooting and foul trouble landed the Timberwolves a 64-46 drubbing and a 4-4 record.
Both teams will continue the tournament on Saturday, as Jackson will take on Prairie.
Jackson committed 18 personal fouls against the Storm, with junior leading scorer Seamus Williams fouling out early in the fourth quarter with 19 points, including 11 in the first quarter. The Timberwolves were outrebounded 28-22 as a team and watched Squalicum’s Hunter Calloway (26 points, three 3s) and Marcus Nixon (17 points, seven rebounds) nearly outscored them.
The assortment of issues didn’t worry longtime Jackson head coach Steve Johnson too much.
“The season has its ebbs and flows, especially for a team that’s relatively inexperienced. I think we have to be able to hang our hat on defense and that was one thing that was kind of disappointing,” said Johnson. “But that’s all kind of part of getting back into the swing of things after a little bit of a break … and (Squalicum) made shots, I got to give them credit.”
Johnson tried implementing a zone defense at one point, but coverage errors rendered the scheme ineffective in stopping Squalicum, which also got 12 points from senior Jaxon Hoffer on four 3s.
On the other end, the Storm challenged Jackson to shoot, successfully running a 2-3 zone for most of the game. Despite the lack of defensive personnel on the perimeter, the Wolves only made four 3s to Squalicum’s 10. Sophomore Joey Gosline’s late-second quarter trey was Jackson’s first make from deep.
Johnson believes his team just needs to see a few more shots go in earlier in the game.
“I think it was kind of a lack of confidence, a lack of belief, in putting the ball in the basket, and that tends to spread,” said Johnson. “If a team zones you, you’re going to have some outside shots. And if you have good ones, you have to take them.”
On a night where the Wolves struggled to score from the field, they only took five free throws to the more aggressive Squalicum’s 19. Seamus Williams, who scored all his points from within the arc, believes Jackson will need more aggression from their perimeter players to build a consistent offense.
“We need to attack the zone. We can’t just shoot 3s all game … We need to drive and maybe kick out or shoot some layups,” said Williams. “We need to be aggressive toward the hoop to get free throws because free throws are the easiest way to get points.”
For Squalicum, first-year head coach David Dunham believes the win could serve as a stepping stone for his team.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before things started going our way,” said Dunham, whose team only suited up eight of their normal 13 players. “Only seven guys played tonight, and those seven guys were locked in.”
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