Sherman gets back on track in sub-round victory

Luke Martin and Caleb Fritts combined for 33 points, the Huskies had four players hit double figures and they nearly matched their two-game district total in a 66-44 state sub-round home romp against North Clackamas Christian Tuesday in Moro.

“At Madras, we seemed to be tentative and we didn’t play with any confidence or that we were really sure of ourselves,” Sherman head coach Gary Lewis said. “I don’t think we played particularly well on either night. Tonight, we came out and played more aggressively and we played like we have been. I would like to think that we got back on track and playing at the level we were two weeks ago.”

No. 12 NCC (21-5 overall) came out fired up and fought to a 31-26 halftime deficit, but the Huskies clamped down defensively in the second half by only allowing six second-half field goals, two of them coming in the third period, where Sherman landed the knockout blow with a 19-6 spurt, 10 of those points from Fritts, to take a 50-32 lead into the fourth quarter.

All told, Martin posted a team-leading 17 points, Fritts followed up with 16, Keenan Coles put up 13 and Wade Fields notched 12 points to spearhead a Husky offense that totaled 27 field goals, three 3-pointers, and drilled 9 of 14 from the line.

Owen Christiansen had five points and senior swingman Tyler Jones sank a first-half 3-pointer to account for all of Sherman’s scorers.

NCC hit 16 field goals, eight 3-pointers, and converted on 4 of 4 free throws, with Hadden Stark reeling off 14 points.

Sherman (23-3), a No. 1 state seed, next hosted No. 30 Siletz Valley (16-6) Friday where a Baker City berth was on the line.

“They are not ready for their season to be over,” Lewis said. “We still have some goals in mind that we want to achieve. These guys still showed some hunger and fire in their belly tonight, so it was nice to see us face adversity, take a shot to the chin and get back up off the canvas and come back after it tonight.”