Cold Case: Braves guilty of freezing up at charity stripe

The Northwest 1A/2B hoop title was literally on the line for La Conner High Friday night.

And that's where the Braves might've let this year's league crown slip away.

On the line. The foul line, that is.

La Conner suffered through a woeful 11-for-23 night at the foul stripe while dropping a heartbreaking 41-40 decision toFridayHarborat Landy James Gym.

Both clubs entered the eagerly anticipated match with identical 4-0 conference marks.

But it was the Wolverines who remained atop league standings, staving off a late La Conner rally behind the clutch shooting of C.J. Woods.

Woods recorded a game-high 22 points, a fairly typical performance of late. He had scored 31 points in a 62-55 Wolverine triumph over Coupeville earlier in the week.

FridayHarborhas now won six of its last seven games, including a Saturday home win overBlaine.

Still, La Conner had a good shot at upending the Wolverines.

Actually, make that many shots.

The dozen missed foul shots loomed large afterward, conceded Braves head coach Scott Novak.

"We just have to take advantage of those free throw opportunities when we get them," he said. "It's hurt us before, like at the Port Townsend tournament over the holidays.

"Scoring can be such a challenge for us at times," Novak stressed, "We just can't hurt ourselves at the foul line."

Still, the Braves nearly overcame their free throw drought with a late rainmaker by senior guard Hudson Zavala.

Zavala, who paced La Conner with 18 points, buried a deep trey that nearly erased a four-pointFridayHarborlead in the late going.

Zavala and Woods, the latter of whom tallied 13 points in the final frame, dueled down the stretch as La Conner chipped away at a lead that was once as large as six points.

The Braves had one final chance to pull out the victory but a last second jumper slid off the iron.

Zavala was joined in double digits by Skylar Krueger, the only La Conner player to enjoy a perfect night at the free throw line.

Krueger hit all four of his freebies en route to a 12-point finish.

Sean Hulbert and Cameron Sherman rounded out the La Conner attack with six and four points, respectively.

As has been the case all season, Zavala filled the stat sheet for La Conner, now 13-5 overall entering this week's action.

Zavala crashed the boards for 10 rebounds againstFridayHarbor, and also matched Hulbert with three steals.

Wil James was likewise a factor at the defensive end, reeling in three caroms while also drawing a charge.

Sherman and Krueger each notched an assist for the Braves.

Novak is quick to point out that while Friday's setback might hamstring La Conner's league championship ambitions, it won't impact the Braves' District tourney prospects.

Perhaps more important, he was pleased with his team's intensity. Novak hopes to see more of the same this week in Tuesday's road test at Orcas and Thursday's regular season home finale opposite Concrete.

Needless to say, he'll be looking for more points, as well.

Game at a Glance

FridayHarbor– 41

La Conner – Zavala 18, Krueger 12, Hulbert 6, Sherman 4 – 40