The pace — and the score — suited Aberdeen’s boys in their season basketball opener.
Using their racehorse style to good effect, the Bobcats opened their season with a 70-50 win over Forks in the boys half of a co-ed basketball doubleheader Wednesday night at Sam Benn Gym.
Forks’ girls withstood a second-half Bobcat rally for a 55-45 victory in the opening game of the twin bill.
BOYS
Bobcats 70, Spartans 50
Junior floor leader Ben Dublanko scored 19 points to lead a trio of Aberdeen double-digit scorers against Forks.
Gio Pisani came off the bench to add 14 points — a total that included a strange first-half bucket. Momentarily confused after emerging from a timeout, a Spartan launched a shot at his own defensive basket and Pisani put in the rebound.
Senior guard Dayln Barragan, who played only in the second half, tallied 10 points for Aberdeen (1-0).
For the most part, the undersized Bobcats were able to impose their pressing, fast-breaking game on the taller but slower Spartans. They harassed Forks into 20 turnovers while committing only 14 of their own. Aberdeen was also productive from beyond the arc, hitting 10 three-point baskets.
It took nearly a half, however, for the Cats to kick into gear. They didn’t grab a permanent lead until Dublanko’s 3-pointer gave them a 25-23 edge.
Dublanko then scored the opening seven points of the second half to trigger a 26-point Aberdeen third quarter. The Bobcats led by as many as 26 before they lost some energy in the fourth quarter.
“In the third quarter, we kind of figured it out and decided we could play our game against Forks,” Aberdeen coach Mark Buckman said. “I am concerned about our level of play in the post, particularly on the defensive end.”
Jeshua Manwell had seven rebounds, while Bryan Sidor, Javier Bojorge and Alonzo Coburn each had three assists.
Buckman cited the reserve play of Austin Timmons and Daniel Elrod.
Austin Flores paced Forks with 17 points.
GIRLS
Spartans 55, Bobcats 45
Aberdeen dug itself too deep of a hole in the first half of this one.
Cold from the perimeter and badly outrebounded by the taller Spartans, the Bobcats trailed 27-12 late in the first half and 29-17 at intermission.
With senior forwards Angel Jones and Reagan Glanz doing almost all the damage, Aberdeen charged back to narrow the deficit to two (38-36) on Jones’ three-ball in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
Six-foot Chloe Leverington and 5-10 sophomore Rian Peters, Forks’ key operatives throughout, answered by combining for the next eight points and the Spartans maintained at least a seven-point advantage the rest of the way.
First-year Aberdeen head coach John Yonich was generally pleased with what he saw.
“With that kind of effort, we’re going to do well,” Yonich said. “This isn’t the old Aberdeen, this is the new Aberdeen. We’re getting there.”
Jones and Glanz combined for 36 of Aberdeen’s total, with Jones tallying a game-high 22 points.
Leverington had 16 and Peters 14 points for Forks.
Both Aberdeen teams will take on Capital on Friday, with the boys hosting the Cougars (a state-qualifying 3A team last season) and the girls hitting the road for their non-leaguer.
GIRLS
Forks 11 18 9 17 — 55
Aberdeen 9 8 16 12 — 45
Forks (55) — Olson 8, Baar, Peters 14, Leverington 16, Rondeau, Rowley 9, Johnson, Kratzer 6, Hoaglund 2. FG — 17-55 (.309). FT — 16-30.
Aberdeen (45) — Glanz 14, Walsh 3, Heikkila 4, Jones 22, Pruett 2, Tageant, Chum, Orona. FG — 16-51 (.313). FT — 9-20.
BOYS
Forks 11 15 8 16 — 50
Aberdeen 14 19 26 11 — 70
Forks (50) — Johnson 5, Jacoby 2, Armas 12, A. Flores 17, Prose 6, Reaume 1, T. Flores 2, Baysinger, Baar 2, Archibald 3, Morton. FG — 18-48 (.375). FT — 8-13.
Aberdeen (70) —Manwell 2, Bojorge 8, Dublanko 19, Coburn 5, Sayres 2, Pisani 14, Shale 2, Timmons 5, Elrod 3, Barragan 10, Sidor. FG — 28-62 (.452). FT — 4-6.
JV — Aberdeen 70, Forks 40. Billy Tinnell 21 points for Aberdeen.
C squad — Aberdeen won.
