By Terry Mosher
Editor, Sports Paper
SILVERDALE – The system works!
Klahowya forced almost an unbelievable 40 turnovers Thursday night at the Eagles’ Nest (the Klahowya gym) and roared from nine points down at halftime to consume visiting Chimacum, 77-67, in a non-league boy’s basketball game.
Klahowya coach Jim Horan, frustrated with his team’s underdog status against bigger schools in the Olympic League, installed this year “The System” used by Grinnell (Iowa) College coach Dave Arseneault in which a constant shift of five new players is shuffled into the game every 35 to 45 seconds in an attempt to wear now more talented opponents.
The system didn’t work well in Klahowya’s first game (an 87-66 loss at Black Hills), but it worked against the Cowboys of Chimacum. Trailing 49-40 at halftime and 61-58 just seconds into the fourth quarter, the Eagles went on a 13-1 run to take command of the game. They then continued their full-court pressure (almost helter skelter in appearance) to prevent the taller Cowboys from regaining the momentum, outscoring the visitors 37-18 in the second half.
“The system worked tonight,” said Horan. “We subbed five guys in, give guys out, and ran up and down. When you play this style you can either get in it (the game) quick or you can get out of it really quick. Tonight was our night. They (the Cowboys) played great. That was their first game and it’s a tough style to play against in your first game.”
Assistant Chimacum coach Dave Porter said, “We ran out of gas. You are not going to win with 40 turnovers. We attacked the basketball pretty well in the first half. We didn’t in the second half.”
In the first half, Chimacum pounded the boards (a 21-9 rebound margin) and got easy layins by throwing the ball over the Eagles’ press. Almost all of the Cowboys’ field goals came on layins.
But Horan stressed to his kids at halftime they needed to get back to prevent those easy breakouts by the Cowboys, and his kids responded not only to that, but battled back hard on the boards. The Cowboys did wind up with a 47-25 rebounding edge, with most of that collected by six-foot-four Orion Weller (15 rebounds and 18 points) and six-foot-five Brendon Naylor (10 rebounds and 12 points).
Down 61-58 after Naylor hit a layin, the Eagles started to soar. Austin Wischhoefer tied it on a three and Ricky Holguin put the Eagles ahead for good with a double-pump scoop shot off the glass.
Tracyn Anderson hit one of two free throws to narrow the deficit to 63-62, but then Kendall Kitts, who suffered a dislocated finger in the first half and had to have it jerked back in place, nailed two consecutive threes from the side to put the Eagles up 69-62.
Connor Schnuit hit a 15-footer to give the Eagles a nine-point lead. The Cowboys got a three-point play form Sam Golden, but Jacob Gotchall, who led the Eagles with 21 points, scored on a breakaway off one last turnover and then finished off the visitors with a short bank shot off the glass.
When Horan was informed his team forced 40 turnovers, he smiled and said, “Well, that’s part of the system. Sometimes they look like they are open, but then the fatigue and all that running and constant pressure sits in.”
Ryan Gotchall added 12 points to the Eagles’ offensive attack, and led his team with four rebounds.
Porter noted how entertaining the game was for the fans, but wished his team would play them again this season (they don’t).
“I would like to,” he said
Klahowya 77, Chimacum 67
Chimacum 27 22 10 8 – 67
Klahowya 24 16 18 19 – 77
Chimacum (67) – Myles Hundley 3, Tracyn Anderson 9, James Porter 7, Sam Golden 7, Orion Weller 18, Hitt 4, Carthum 7, Brendon Naylor 12, Chris Bainbridge.
Klahowya (77) – Dustin Brewer 5, Ryan Gotchall 12, Jacob Gotchall 21, Austin Wischhoefer 6, Kendall Kitts 9, Connor Schnuit 6, Nate Hough 4, Jerry Landram 2, Justin Moore, Ricky Holquin 9, Michael Mosher, Jon Harris 4.