2026 Boys Basketball Roundup – January 5th

• Squalicum 55, Ferndale 42

It was a slow start for both teams at Squalicum’s ‘House of Thunder’ gymnasium. It took three minutes for Ferndale to break the 0-0 tie and take the first lead of the game. The Golden Eagles held a slight edge for the remainder of the first half and headed into the locker room with 22-16 lead at the midway break.

However, the Storm came out of the half with some lightning, scoring seven unanswered points to take the lead. For the next few minutes, the teams traded two-point baskets with no one able to hold onto more than a one point lead. As the third quarter started winding down, Squalicum got going again and charged ahead by eight points, resulting in a 14-point swing from the start to the end of third.

Much of that had to do with the play of junior center Orion Granberg-Kiddle who had just two points at halftime, and then went on to score 17 of his game-high 23 points in the pivotal period.

With all the momentum behind them, the Storm fended off the Golden Eagles for the remaining eight minutes to hold on to the win.

Granberg-Kiddle also grabbed 11 rebounds to cap off his big night, while junior Blake Elston added 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.

For Ferndale, senior forward Mantaj Singh led the charge with 20 points and 12 rebounds, and sophomore Houston Wills had 10 points and six steals.

Squalicum 55, Ferndale 42
FER    8  14   9  11 - 42 
SQU    7   9  23  16 - 55
 
Ferndale: Singh 20, Vincent 0, Singson 0, Baader 0, Pazaski 6, Wills 10, Boleak 0, Butenschoen 3, Munson 3.
Squalicum: Truemper 0, Shimkus 0, Knowlton 6, Tetrick 2, Elston 15, Granberg-Kiddle 23, Le 0, Asbjornsen 0, Thompson 0, Calloway 9.

• Lynden Christian 73, Meridian 46

After two a half quarters of play, the Trojans were up by four points and looked to pull off the upset on the road, but when Lync junior guard Harvest Howell hit a three-pointer at the top of the key with a little over four minutes left in the third quarter it began a 40-9 run that Lynden Christian went on to finish the game.

Junior guard Gunnar Dykstra led the Lyncs with 18 points and nine assists, and he also buried four 3-pointers.

Junior guard Dawson Hintz ended with 16 points, including a dazzling dunk that came on an alley-oop pass from junior forward Kaden Veldman who added 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Meridian junior Trey Alexander led his team with 16 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-9 shooting. Junior guard Gabe Galbraith poured in 13 points, and senior center Daniel Larsen added 11 points.

Lynden Christian 73, Meridian 46
MER   18   9  12   6 - 46 
LC    17  12  19  25 - 73
 
Meridian: Blankenburg 0, Larsen 11, Alexander 16, Galbraith 13, Brzozowski 4, Harris 2, Hayes 0, Ashmore 0, Burgess 0, Webster 0, Jacoby 0.
Lynden Christian: Dykstra 18, Howell 10, Hintz 16, Maberry 10, Ridnour 0, Herwerden 2, Veldman 12, Blair 0, Kamphouse 2, Kooiman 0, Vos 3.

• Lummi Nation 65, Tulalip Heritage 62

In a battle between to two top teams in the 1B Northwest League, if not the state, a show was put on in Everett with the Blackhawks doing just enough to pick up the win.

The game was tied at 47-47 going into the final quarter, but when senior guard Jerome Toby hit a fadeaway shot with 48 seconds left in the game, it gave Lummi Nation a 63-57 lead.

The Hawks scored a couple of buckets late, but ran out of time against the Blackhawks.

Toby finished with a team-high 25 points, and junior guard Dyson Edwards added 17 points of 7-of-14 shooting.

Junior forward Deandre James did most of the work down low as he ended his night with 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

Lummi Nation 65, Tulalip Heritage 62
LUM   13  18  16  18 - 65 
TUL   14  13  20  15 - 62
 
Lummi Nation: Toby 25, Edwards 17, D. James 11, Waite-Kellar 6, LaFontaine 3, Yrizarris 3, Hawk 0.
Tulalip Heritage: N/A.

• South Whidbey 72, Mount Baker 69

After the score was tied 27-27 at the half, the Falcons flew out to a nine-point lead after the third quarter.

The Mountaineers made it close, but just couldn’t complete the comeback at the end as they fell by three at home.

Junior center Kell Reardon finished with 30 points and 19 rebounds to lead Mount Baker. He also made 15-of-23 from the field, grabbed three steals and threw down a one-handed dunk.

Sophomore forward Pepe McEvoy-Salgado added 13 points and seven rebounds, and senior guard Payten Abitia finished with 10 points and six rebounds (all on the offensive glass).

Senior guard Jordan Bailey also stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals.

South Whidbey 72, Mount Baker 69
SW    10  17  25  20 - 72 
MB    16  11  16  26 - 69
 
South Whidbey: N/A.
Mount Baker: Ross 5, McEvoy-Salgado 13, Abitia 10, Galbraith 4, Bailey 7, Nicol-Mills 0, Zamzow 0, Smith 0, Reardon 30.

• Mount Vernon 58, Lynden 54 (OT)

The Bulldogs had a chance to win the game in regulation, but their shot came up short. Unfortunately for the Lions, Mount Vernon found a way in overtime to get some buckets before taking the home win over Lynden.

The Lions were welcomed by the return of seniors Spencer Adams and Ty Jorgenson, but were without junior Lewis Whitney.

Sophomore guard Jayden Navarre led Lynden with 16 points, and he also made three of Lynden’s nine 3-pointers.

Adams added 12 points, six assists and three steals, but the Lions were hindered at the foul line where they missed nine attempts.

Mount Vernon 58, Lynden 54
LYN   14   9  16  12  3 - 54 
MV    12  13  15  11  7 - 58
 
Lynden: Navarre 16, Bedlington 7, Price 8, Ellis 3, Mar. Koenen 0, Mal. Koenen 6, Broersma 0, Jorgenson 2, Adams 12.
Mount Vernon: N/A.