EVERETT — Delvaughn Tinned and Tommy Craddock are to Mariner basketball what spicy seasoning is to Creole cooking.
A little dash here, a little dash there. Oh, what the heck, just pour it on until your opponent is simmering like shrimp gumbo.
Tinned and Craddock tallied 19 points each and Fat Tuesday came early for the Marauders who clinched a district playoff spot with a 63-49 road victory over the Everett Seagulls in a Western Conference South Division game at Joe Richer court.
Tinned hit two 3-point baskets to spark Mariner to a quick lead, which grew to 17-7 by the end of the first-quarter.
After trailing by double-digits for much of the game, Gia Luu’s 3-pointer helped Everett reduce the deficit to five points early in the third quarter.
Craddock led the Mariner response with an array of shots, scoring eight points during a 13-2 run, which put Mariner (11-6 in league, 12-7 overall) seemingly back in control, 46-30.
"Tinned was hitting outside and Craddock was playing well inside," Mariner coach Dexter Griffen said after his team had safely secured its fifth district playoff spot in his six years at the helm.
Playing for pride Everett (4-13, 5-14) battled back gamely and Clay Kincaid’s inside basket capped an 11-0 run and got the Seagulls to within 46-41.
Tinned, who also had seven assists and four rebounds, answered with a 15-foot jumpshot from the left side to ignite a 9-2 run, to give Mariner a 55-43 cushion by midway through the fourth quarter.
"Delvaughn’s clutch," Craddock said. "He always hits the big shots."
Experience has taught Griffen that winning on Everett’s fabled floor is never easy.
"Our kids withstood their run and we made one of our own," Griffen said of his team which notched it’s fifth straight victory. "We know Everett’s always going to play us tough, they don’t roll over."
Mariner got a major lift from the stifling defense of speedy senior guards Jerod Grant and Wesley Burns who repeatedly disrupted Everett’s offensive flow.
"We just gave a full out team effort tonight, we committed to defense," Burns said.
Griffen is rarely surprised by the antics of the diminutive backcourt pair.
"Jerod Grant and Wesley Burns have been the leaders and the heart and soul of the team all year," Griffen said.
In addition to his four assists, four rebounds and three steals, Burns scored 12 points on four 3-point baskets. Aaron Cartwright added eight points for Mariner.
Everett was led in scoring by steady Michael Hudson with 14 points. Kincaid, a recent addition to the varsity, scored 11 and snared numerous rebounds.
The hot-handed Marauder’s shot 8-for-20 on 3-pointers. Mariner was 15-for-25 on 2-point attempts, including an 8-for-10 effort by Craddock.
Still, Craddock ascribed the victory to strict adherence to the first and foremost commandment in Griffen’s ball-hawking system.
"Defense, we do that every night," Craddock said. "That’s what coach stresses."
Mariner—Tinned 19, Cartwright 8, Craddock 19, Burns 12, Fry 3, Hamilton 2. Everett—Lampi 2, B. Levin 6, Hudson 14, Gabriel 4, T. Levin 2, Sievers 6, Luu 6, Kincaid 11.. 3-point goals—Tinned 3, Burns 4, Fry 1, B. Levin 2, Hudson 2, Luu 2. JV score—Everett 51, Mariner 35. Records—Mariner 11-6 in league, 12-7 overall. Everett 4-13, 5-14. |
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