Both Silverdale basketball teams are in first place in their respective regions as they are both undefeated after five games, but they both had to dodge big bullets in front of a capacity crowd at the Silverdale Center on Friday to stay that way.
Notre Dame was the team on the other side. The Lady Irish had a one-point lead midway through the final quarter before falling, 49-45.
And the Silverdale guys, ranked first in the state with an amazing 20-1 record, had to get a big 3 from the key from Brett Wright in the final minute to overcome the Notre Dame guys by a 55-54 final.
You want to talk about the fans getting their money’s worth…these two games were all about that and more.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Seahawks as they travel to Boyd Buchanan on Monday to face two Buccaneer teams in similar situations with both unbeaten in region play at 5-0. Notre Dame will host Chattanooga Christian next Wednesday in its next game.
SILVERDALE BOYS 55, NOTRE DAME 54: The Seahawks are now 21-1 overall with their fourth straight win after getting beat by Bradley two weeks ago while Notre Dame is now 4-17 overall, but the Irish are without a doubt the best 4-17 team in the country.
Notre Dame got a short jumper from Cole McCormick with 1:29 left before halftime to give the Fighting Irish their first lead at 24-23 and that was the score at the break.
Notre Dame maintained that lead until Judah Richardson put the home team up at 52-51 on a drive with 1:11 to play.
Gaas Herman, who led all scorers with 27 points, converted a three-point play with 32 seconds left to put the Irish up 54-52, but Wright got a wide-open look from the top of the key with 17 seconds left and he swished it for the game-winning shot.
Notre Dame had the ball in the front court with six seconds to play, but both McCormick and Herman were covered. The inbounds pass went to Riley Roberts, who drove down the lane for the final shot, but it caromed off the rim as the final buzzer sounded.
Silverdale coach Slater Belew has a head full of black hair, but a few more games like this and it will either be gone or gray, but the veteran coach was just happy that his guys found a way to pull this one out.
“That was a fun environment to be in as it was a great game and the gym was rocking,” he said while Silverdale parents, players and fans just enjoyed each other’s company once the game ended.
“It just wasn’t our night offensively, but our defensive effort was the difference. We did a good job defensively in the first half, but we had to do something in the second half when we were behind, so we turned up the pressure on defense and that was the key.
“Brett Wright has been a great player since the first day he got here and nobody works harder on their game than he does, so it was nice to see that final shot come to fruition for him. I’m glad the ball was in his hands as we have all the confidence in him, but we have several others who are just as capable.
“We lost to Notre Dame three times last year with Cole McCormick being the difference every time, so it was nice to be on this side for a change. But I also know that my guys have a lot of grit, so I tried to not worry too much when we were behind.
“And I also knew that with us behind in the second half that we had to switch some things around as we knew that Notre Dame would give us their all. That’s when we increased the pace and tried to take Notre Dame out of their game plan,” Belew added.
Notre Dame coach Jonathan Adams could only shake his head when this one ended. His teams have been really close with at least six losses five points or less, but he’s not one to live on moral victories.
“I’m just tired of saying how close we are and that we’re getting better, but that was a tough one,” he said after a heart-to-heart talk with his guys outside the Notre Dame dressing room.
“Our last play was designed for Cole McCormick first and Gaas Herman second, but that never materialized. We ended up getting a good look, but I need to do a better job of coaching these guys on what to do in situations like that.
“I’m pleased with our effort and I’m proud that we didn’t back down, but I’m not pleased with our play down the stretch. Our offensive execution at the end wasn’t what it needed to be and there were too many possessions where Silverdale scored on easy shots as we allowed too many open looks, but we’ll just keep working,” he concluded with a smile on his face.
Herman had nine points in the first half, but he really turned up his energy level in the third stanza when he scored 13 of his team’s 15 points and ended the game with 27.
McCormick was also in double figures with 16 that included 13 in the second quarter.
Wright was tops for Silverdale with 14 points, but none were any more important than the last three. Houston Holland followed with 13 before fouling out in the final minute.
Elyjah Richardson and Judah Richardson both finished with eight points while Kennedy Okpara added six. He also grabbed eight rebounds as Silverdale had an unofficial 17-16 edge on the boards.
Herman and McCormick both grabbed six for Notre Dame.
SILVERDALE GIRLS 49, NOTRE DAME 45: The Lady Seahawks improved to 19-5 overall and 5-0 in region play, but there was nothing easy or simple about this last victory.
Silverdale had the upperhand for most of the game as a 12-11 lead after one quarter stretched to 24-21 at intermission . The difference was 35-29 with one quarter remaining, but this one was a long way from over.
Callie McCormick scored five straight points to put Notre Dame ahead 39-38 with 4:17 to play before the Lady Seahawks scored the next six points and never trailed again.
A three-point play by Notre Dame’s Yannah Baird with 1:31 to play got the Lady Irish within two points at 44-42, but Silverdale was able to sink five of six free throws in the final minute to keep it from getting any closer.
Kelsie Johnson led the way for Silverdale with 21 points, including 10 in that frantic fourth quarter. Braylee Raby and Taylor Bledsoe were next with nine each.
McCormick was tops for Notre Dame with 14 points while Violet Wright had 11 and Dayonna Perryman 10.
GIRLS SUMMARY
NOTRE DAME 11 10 8 16 -- 45
SILVERDALE 12 12 11 14 -- 49
NOTRE DAME (45) – Baird 7, Spurgeon 2, Dayonna Perryman 10, Kitchings 1, Brown, Callie McCormick 14, Walling, Violet Wright 11.
SILVERDALE (49) – Canter 3, Bledsoe 9, Raby 9, Owen 4, Littrell 3, Kelsie Johnson 21, Cline, McFarland, Hensley.
3-Point Goals: Notre Dame 4 (McCormick 3, Perryman); Silverdale 5 (Johnson 3, Canter, Bledsoe).
BOYS SUMMARY
NOTRE DAME 5 19 15 15 -- 54
SILVERDALE 11 12 10 22 -- 55
NOTRE DAME (54) – Hammond 6, Goeller, Sims, Gaas Herman 27, Santiseban, Roberts 3, Cole McCormick 16, Flowers, Redner 2, Wagnon.
SILVERDALE (55) – Okpara 6, Brett Wright 14, Houston Holland 13, McGraw, E. Richardson 8, J. Richardson 8, Hoewischer 6.
3-Point Goals: Notre Dame 6 (Herman 3, McCormick 2, Roberts); Silverdale 4 (Hoewischer 2, E. Richardson, Wright).
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)