Defending champs cruise to the semifinals

Max and Treve Martin posted double-doubles, and junior point guard Jacob Justesen added nine points, five rebounds and five assists to lead Sherman to a 70-39 victory over North Douglas in a first-round state playoff contest played Wednesday in Baker City.

“We definitely wanted to redeem ourselves after that loss in the playoffs in football and I think that we had a little extra drive that game to prove something,” said senior forward Isaiah Coles.

The No. 1-seeded Huskies trailed 6-2 early in the opening quarter, but got their wits about them over the next three minutes to regain the lead at 12-7, before finishing on a 13-0 run to make it a 25-7 score.

In that spurt, Max Martin drained a 3-pointer, Kyle Fields added a jumper, Max Martin swished another deep ball, Justesen knocked down a paint shot, and then Max Martin gave his team an 18-point lead with 16 seconds left on a pair of free throws.

“After they hit their first two 3-point attempts and went up 6-2, I was concerned,” said Sherman head coach Bill Blevins. “As a coach, I have to take the blame for not having our players in the proper defensive position, as I was trying to give a different look defensively. However, after that start, we went on a nice run to finish the quarter. The boys really played well defensively.”

The Huskies enjoyed a 32-16 lead midway through the second quarter, and finished the half on an 8-2 rally, as Fields, Justesen and Luke Martin hit baskets to swell the halftime advantage to 40-18.

Sherman converted 14 of 33 shots, 5 of 11 3-pointers, while North Douglas went 6 of 28 from the floor.

The Huskies held a 28-16 rebounding edge, 11 of those boards on the offensive end.

Sherman’s lead hovered around 27 points in the third quarter, until field goals by Max and Treve Martin made it a 57-26 contest with 1:16 remaining.

The Warriors (22-10 overall), used a Caleb Parks jumper to inch as close as 57-36 with 5:18 left in the game to make things interesting, but the Huskies ended on a 13-3 run, as Treve Martin and Makoa Whitaker sank consecutive shots in the closing minute.

Overall, Sherman shot 27 of 69 from the field for 39 percent, and went 9 of 16 from the free throw line.

Sherman (24-5) outrebounded North Douglas by a 54-33 margin, and 21 of those offensive rebounds led to 18 second-chance points.

“Everyone worked so hard going to the offensive board and getting extra shots,” Blevins said. “We have really stressed getting in position during a shot attempt; hoping it goes in, but being ready for the rebound if it doesn’t. The boys are really buying in to what needs to be done if they are to accomplish their goals this season.”

Max Martin, who earned the Moda Health Player of the Game, scored 21 points, on 8 of 18 shooting, pulled down 11 rebounds and had two assists.

Fields tallied 15 points and eight rebounds, Treve Martin added 11 points and 13 boards, and Coles went off for eight points, five rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes of action.

“It’s so important to get off to a good start in tourney play and we came out with the intensity that was required to give ourselves an opportunity to win,” Blevins said.

The North Douglas duo of Riley Swafford and Jayce Ellis combined for 14 points on 4 of 26 from the floor, and Sean Keenan notched nine points and 10 rebounds, as the team made good on 15 of 55 shooting for 27 percent.

After today’s off day, the Huskies take on fifth-seeded Perrydale (24-3) at 3:15 p.m. on Friday.

On Jan. 16 at David Douglas High School, Sherman picked up a 76-48 win over Perrydale.

In that game, Max Martin made five 3-pointers on his way to 27 points, Fields tacked on 13, Justesen had 13 points in his season debut from a knee injury, and the Huskies broke open a 23-12 first-quarter advantage, and went on runs of 16-9 and 23-8 over the next two periods to expand its lead to 62-29.

If the Huskies can get past the Pirates, the championship game is scheduled for 9 p.m. on Saturday.

“We’re extremely excited to try to finish the job,” Coles said. “For many of us, this tourney is the last time we will set foot on a court to play for a team and that means we have to put everything out on the line before it’s over.”