EVERETT — A Few good tips about making free throws helped the Mariner basketball team beat rival Kamiak 63-51 Friday night at the Mariner gym.
Gonzaga University basketball coach Mark Few recently gave his long-time friend, Mariner coach Dexter Griffen, some pointers on how to improve his team’s accuracy from the free throw line. The Marauders made 22 of 31 foul-shot attempts in the Western Conference North Division game to hand their Mukilteo School District rival its first loss of the young season.
"He gave us some helpful hints about making free throws," said Griffen, whose team (2-1 in the division, 2-2 overall) heads into the winter break with solid victories over Shorewood and Kamiak. "We’ve been using them a lot lately."
If ever there were a night for improved free throw shooting, it was Friday.
Mariner and Kamiak combined to shoot 56 free throws. The constant whistle-blowing affected both teams, but especially hurt the Knights late in the game. Trailing 47-42, Kamiak lost post Steve Murphy (eight points, 10 rebounds) when he committed his fifth foul during a collision with Mariner post Tommy Craddock with 3:03 remaining. Murphy’s fellow post player, Gary Rogers (four points, nine rebounds), fouled out with 2:13 remaining. Craddock, who contributed 15 points and six rebounds, picked up his fourth foul with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter and fouled out with 30 seconds to go in the game.
"It helped (when Murphy and Rogers fouled out), but it didn’t help us when Craddock got in foul trouble," Griffen said. "We’ve got to stay out of foul trouble."
Though a referee’s whistle is as delightful sounding to Griffen as Fran Dresher’s voice in an Old Navy commercial, the style of the game was one the Marauders prefer to play.
"Lots of loose balls, lots of diving, crashing the boards hard — a very physical game," said Mariner junior wing Aaron Cartwright, who completed two 3-point plays as part of his game-high 18 points. "We like it physical. We like tough, physical defense."
Cartwright made seven of nine free throw attempts — all in the second half. Craddock, a 6-foot-8 junior, was five of eight. Senior wing Jerod Grant missed his only two attempts in the first half, but hit seven of nine in the second half.
"Coach has been putting us at the free throw line a lot lately at practice," said Grant, who scored nine points. "We showed in this game that it’s starting to work."
Kamiak (2-1, 3-1) made 15 of its 25 attempts, including 12 of 17 in a second half that featured 36 attempts combined by the two teams. Mariner made 15 of 19 from the line in the second half.
Aided by the foul troubles of Kamiak’s interior defensive leaders late in the game, Mariner scored its final 32 points either on free throws or drives to the basket. Delvaughn Tinned scored eight of his 10 points — none of which came from the free throw line — in the second half with acrobatic drives to the hoop.
The Marauders proved early in the game that Kamiak would have to work hard for its points.
Mariner’s defense forced six Knights’ turnovers in game’s first four minutes. The Marauders took advantage of the takeaways, opening the game with a 9-2 run.
The Knights slowly pulled into the lead by outscoring Mariner 18-10 to take a 20-19 lead after a pair of Murphy free throws with 3:02 remaining in the half. The Marauders sank four free throws in the last three minutes of the second quarter to put themselves up 23-20 at the half.
Murphy pulled down seven rebounds in the half while Rogers grabbed six. Craddock contributed nine points and four rebounds in the half.
Kamiak—Hermes 8, Balch 5, Martinez 11, Coleman 12, Murphy 8, Johnson 3, Rogers 4. Mariner—Tinned 10, Cartwright 18, Burns 5, Jerod Grant 9, Jerrel Grant 6, Craddock 15. 3-point goals—Balch 1, Martinez 3, Burns 1. JV score—Kamiak 64, Mariner 43. Records—Kamiak 2-1 league, 3-1 overall. Mariner 2-1, 2-2. |
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