Astoria defense downs Comets

Courtesy of Chinook Observer
By PHIL RAISTAKKAObserver corespondent
ASTORIA - They have yet to change their name to the "Killer Bees" or the "Piranhas" but that may not be too far away if the Astoria Fishermen boys' basketball team continues to play defense as they have played this early season. The Killer Bees - er, Fishermen - swarmed their way to a 66-30 thumping of the Comets in the teams' opening game of the 35th Vince Dulcich Memorial Tournament played in the Astoria High Brick House Wednesday, Dec. 27.The loss knocked Naselle into the tournament's consolation game on Friday.The Fishermen's tenacious pressure defense forced the Comets into 28 turnovers.The Naselle coaches knew what to expect in this game after watching Astoria press Ilwaco into submission a week ago. Coach Brian Macy had a plan to combat the Astoria press and it worked beautifully to start. However, the Comets lost the ball after breaking the press on their second possession. So, Astoria did what they do best and ran a textbook fast break for their next two points. Astoria's pressure didn't allow the ball to get past the center line and the Fishermen led 8-0 only a minute and a half into the game.It didn't get any better as the Comets fell behind further with only Kyle Burkhalter (13 game points, 7 rebounds) able to solve the Fish-riddle as he scored Naselle's first five points and Astoria led 18-5 after one period. The Fishermen scoring had come from six different players with their top scorer, 5-8 senior point guard Andy Murray (12 game points), leading the way with six quick points.One of the Fishermen's top players, super sophomore Jordan Poyer, didn't even start the game as Murray, one of ten seniors on the team, has now returned from an injury. However, the 6-1 Poyer quickly established his presence with two early points on the way to nine game points as well as rebounding and defense keyed by his quickness.A ray of hope buoyed the Comets hopes in the second stanza as Burkhalter led the early charge with the Comets scoring the first five points of the quarter. However, the Fishermen didn't let that phase them as Poyer and Brian Anderson, with his second trey of the game, more than matched the Naselle hoops. Naselle's Casey Heagy provided eight late first-half points with four of those points coming on a trey plus a free throw. Those four late points allowed the Comets to close the second quarter scoring with a 22-15 deficit, trailing 40-20 at the break.The Fishermen continued to roll in the third period with a 12-0 run that wasn't interrupted until Kyle finally broke the Naselle drought after the mid-quarter mark. Astoria out-scored Naselle 16-4 in the period, even though Coach Chris Hunt pulled back the press at mid-quarter. Astoria's unrelenting pressure still changed Naselle's shots, usually only allowing only one hurried shot if they didn't steal the ball as the Comets tried to run their offense. Astoria's lead climbed to 56-24 after three periods.With 11 of their 12 players scoring in the game, Astoria continued to pull away from the Comets no matter what combination of inter-changeable players they used and they won the fourth quarter scoring battle as well, 10-6. The Comets, with the exception of Kyle, could not hit a shot in the final eight minutes and Astoria sent them home with a 66-30 drubbing.Naselle's record fell to 4-3 with the loss.(Last Friday's game with Banks, which lost 79-55 in its tournament opening game with Knappa, is not published in the sports section of this edition of the Chinook Observer due to the early printing deadline for that section of the paper caused by the New Year's Day holiday.)

NASELLE (30) - Kyle Burkhalter 13, Casey Heagy 8. Austin Burkhalter 3, Sultemeier 2, Griss 2, Smith 2; Rebounds: K. Burkhalter 7;

Turnovers (28)

ASTORIA (66) - Andy Murray 12, Brian Anderson 10, Poyer 9, Macareno 8, Landwehr 6, Culver 4, Alfonse 4, Robinson 4, Davis 4, Christianson 3, Faulkner 2, Dalton; Rebounds; Murray 7;

Assists: Murray 4;
Steals: Macareno 7