UNIVERSITY PLACE - Consistently converting opportunities turned into a liability in a Seattle Christian 59-52 Nisqually League boys basketball loss to Charles Wright Academy in the Tarrier Dome on Saturday, Jan. 5.
From the outset, the battle ebbed and flowed with Seattle Christian (4-3, 6-5) unable to completely break through its opponent's resolve.
Charles Wright (3-2, 7-2) held the Warrior offense on the perimeter and built up a 10-5 first quarter lead. Spencer Eble scored his game total of six points in the second quarter to help keep SCS close at 14-13.
The Warriors went to war with quickness and defensive traps to fire off five consecutive points capped by Cody Miller's baseline driving basket that had SCS ahead 19-16.
Leading 21-16 with just more than one minute left in the half, Seattle Christian was tied at 21-21 by halftime.
Momentum swings were showcased in the third quarter as Josh Perkinson scored seven consecutive points in front of a Shawn Abe standard 3-point play to complete a 10-0 Warrior run that had SCS ahead 35-26 as 3:12 showed on the gymnasium clock.
Charles Wright ran back to eventually tie the score at 35-all on a Cooper Griffin 3-pointer. Seattle Christian ran a set play to free Miller for a corner 3-point bomb that CWA countered with a standard field goal as the Warriors held tightly to a 38-37 edge.
A basket from beyond the 3-point arc coupled with a standard 3-point play sent the Tarriers on a 10-1 scoring spree and a 47-42 margin.
Countering this uprising with one of their own, the Warriors rolled off six consecutive points capped by an Abe reverse lay in put back to trail 47-45.
As they sank into defeat, the perplexed Warriors were undone by turnovers and continued execution errors that became like tendrils of weeds twining up to meet them midway through the first quarter.
Charles Wright refused to fold, responding with six straight points to create a 53-45 lead at the 1:30 mark. SC made one final charge with Miller's 3-pointer culminating a 6-2 run. SC trailed 55-51, but only 35.3 seconds remained.
CWA converted 4-of-5 free throws down the remaining seconds to hold off the visitors.
Rebounding was an issue with an 18-11 offensive rebounding disadvantage turning into 12 more second chance points for the Tarriers than the Warriors.
Frigid 3-point shooting also adversely affected Seattle Christian. Following an 0-for-6 effort from 3-point field goal range in the first half, the Warriors closed with 2-for-14. The Tarriers finished with 5-for-13.
SCS did out steal its foes 11-4.
Miller led the Warriors with 15 points, six rebounds and seven steals. Abe chipped in 11 points and captured 13 caroms off the glass.
Griffin led all game scorers with 23 points while Sean Gorman was also active for 12 points and 11 rebounds. Fritz Jacobsen also had 11 boards to go with seven points.
