EVERETT — Three nights after the most heartbreaking loss of the season, the Cascade boys basketball team showed its heart and determination with a bounce-back victory that extends its season for at least one more game.
Against an equally determined Mariner squad, the Bruins built an early lead that reached double digits midway through the first period and again early in the second period. Cascade never trailed again, but neither did the Marauders go away, hanging around until the late minutes before the Bruins finally pulled away for a 67-56 District 1 tournament victory on Tuesday at Everett Community College.
On Saturday night, the Bruins had a chance to reach the district championship game, but instead dropped a 71-69 overtime decision to Jackson on a last-second shot by Timberwolves guard Brian Brown.
“That game was the toughest loss I’ve ever (been in),” said Cascade guard Brevin Brown. “That, like, killed us. But we’re going to bounce back.”
“It was a tough loss,” agreed guard Cameron McGrath. “We played our hearts out.”
Knowing how deflated his team was after Saturday’s game, Bruins coach Darrell McNeal admitted he came away “not know how we were going to bounce back. But I’m pretty pleased with the way we performed. … There are still some things we need to work on and there always are, but at least their effort and their heart were there.”
After spotting the Marauders the game’s first two points, Cascade got a putback basket from forward Isaiah Gotell and then three straight 3-pointers from McGrath (two) and forward Justin Gordon. Mariner countered with a field goal, and then Brown added another 3-pointer for a 14-4 margin.
But the Marauders refused to submit quietly. Trailing 34-21 late in the second quarter, they closed the half with six straight points and then continued to chip away at the deficit in the third period.
A jump shot from near the free throw line by DeRhaun Mallet pulled Mariner within 44-42 late in the quarter, but from there the Bruins slowly began to stretch their margin. Forward Brennen Hancock had seven of his 12 points in the fourth quarter as the lead reached a high of 14 points, 66-52, with two minutes to play in the game.
Gotell led the Bruins with 18 points and McGrath added 15, including three 3-pointers.
With the victory, Cascade advances to play Kamiak in a 4:45 p.m. loser-out game Thursday, again at Everett CC.
Despite the win, some of the Bruins were less than satisfied. “We can’t play like this (on Thursday) or else we’re going to be out,” Hancock said. “We have to come back at practice (today) and get some work done, and then get it done on Thursday.”
Mariner, which saw its season end, got 12 points from Mallet, 11 from Erwin Dzeko and 10 from Jalen Hayes.
At Everett CC
Mariner9181811—56
Cascade19151518—67
Mariner_Ryan Mendoza 6, Alex Angelos 0, Greg Whitaker 0, Kevin Villalobos 7, Ravinder Athwal 4, Tim Angelos 2, Jeremiah Bell 4, Jalen Hayes 10, Erwin Dzeko 11, DeRhaun Mallet 12, Darian Talavera 0. Cascade_Trevon Blackmon 5, Simran Singh Takhar 0, Brevin Brown 9, Edis Hrustic 1, Cameron McGrath 15, Isaiah Gotell 18, Brennen Hancock 12, Justin Gordon 3, Tre Poole 4.
3-point goals_Ryan Mendoza 2, Kevin Villalobos 1, Jalen Hayes 2, Erwin Dzeko 2, Brevin Brown 3, Cameron McGrath 3, Isaiah Gotell 1, Justin Gordon 1.
Records—Mariner 9-13. Cascade 13-10.
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