LAKE STEVENS – The name may change, but the game remains the same.
Delvaughn Tinned poured in 27 points to help Mariner hand the Lake Stevens basketball team its first loss of the season Tuesday night, 63-55.
He was Delvaughn Livingston as a sophomore. His last name became Livingston-Tinned last season. This year, he goes by Delvaughn Tinned. His first name is misspelled – Delvaugh – on the Mariner roster.
Though his name takes twist and turns, Mariner coach Dexter Griffen knows he can count on Tinned.
“He’s consistent and he comes to play,” said Griffen, whose team won its third straight after opening the season with a pair of losses. “He’s just a pleasure to coach. I can’t say enough about him.”
The Marauders used a 19-2 run to take a 28-9 lead with 5:12 remaining in the first half.
Tinned scored 10 points – including a 3-point play – during the run, which was capped by a Wesley Burns 3-point basket. Tinned, a 6-foot wing/point guard, made seven of eight shots during an 18-point, first-half performance.
The way Mariner typically plays defense, a 21 point-lead is pretty much game over.
Mariner, tied for third in the Western Conference South Division, took a 37-16 halftime lead by outscoring the North Division-leading Vikings 9-3 to close out the half.
“I think we still had some guys on vacation in the first half,” kidded Lake Stevens’ first-year head coach Mark Hein, whose team opened the season with five straight victories. Neither team had played since Dec. 19.
Hein, who coached junior varsity games against Griffen in the Spokane area in the mid 1990s, said he challenged his players to give a better effort in the second half.
Though it wasn’t enough, the Vikings put a scare into Mariner. Matt Stevens, who scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half, and Tyler long each scored four points during an 8-1 run that cut Mariner’s lead to 53-46 with 3:30 remaining. Tinned iced the game by sinking five of six free throws in the final 52 seconds.
“Our kids did a good job of keeping their composure when they made that run on us,” Griffen said. ” (Lake Stevens) played a little tougher defense (in the second half). They got into us and were more physical with us. We responded and did some good things as well.”
While Hein implored his team at halftime to bring the holiday break to an end, Griffen worried about his team becoming overconfident.
“I hate getting big leads like that, because your team starts getting complacent,” Griffen said. “You know a good team like Lake Stevens is going to come back.”
Though disappointed by the loss, Hein saw some encouraging signs in the second half. The defense that carried the Vikings to an impressive 50-49 victory on the road against Mount Vernon returned, and the shots began to fall.
“This was a good measuring stick of where we are,” Hein said. “I think Mariner will be one of the top teams in the South by the end of the season.”
Aaron Cartwright scored 12 for Mariner. Long and Bobby Bernethy each contributed 10 points for Lake Stevens.
Mariner-Tinned 27, Cartwright 12, Burns 3, Jerod Grant 5, Jerrel Grant 5, Craddock 5, Hamilton 6. Lake Stevens-Hendrickson 2, Bernethy 10, Stevens 18, Long 10, Bolyard 2, Strong 8, Tennant 5. 3-point goals-Tinned 4, Burns 1, Bernethy 1, Stevens. Records-Mariner 2-1, 3-2. Lake Stevens 2-0, 5-1. JV score-Lake Stevens 56, Mariner 52. |
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