Boys Basketball: Astoria defeats Seaside, 60-55
Published 4:07 pm Sunday, February 5, 2023
The Seaside boys basketball team faced their biggest hurdle standing between themselves and a perfect league season on Saturday night.
The Astoria Fishermen were fresh off a win at St. Helens the day before, while the Gulls were without starter Izzy Jantes and playing their third game in four days. It was Astoria’s perfect night for an upset in front of packed home crowd.
An upset is just what they got in the third Clatsop Clash meeting of the season.
Despite sticking close the entire game, the Gulls could not match Astoria’s energy, with the Fishermen leading from start to finish in a 60-55 win — their first over Seaside since Jan. 29, 2016.
Astoria’s Merrick Benesch had three 3-pointers in the first half, while Seaside was whistled for 12 fouls over the first two quarters.
The Gulls would have been lost without junior Caleb Langmo, who knocked down five 3-pointers in the first half and one in the fourth quarter before fouling out. Every Seaside starter finished with three or more fouls. The Gulls finished the game with 22 fouls.
Holding a slim 32-30 lead at halftime, Astoria had big offensive rebound baskets from Niko Boudreau and Judd Field in the second half, coupled with numerous points off cuts to the basket by Owen Williams, Benesch, Beck Olson and Kanon Huber. Astoria was 14-of-23 from the free-throw line.
Benesch led the Fishermen with 15 points, followed by Williams (14 points) and Boudreau (11 points). Austin Palmer had 24 points for the Gulls. Huber had key back-to-back scores early in the fourth quarter that gave Astoria a 52-41 lead.
Ranked sixth (15-3 overall) in the latest Oregon School Activities Association rankings, Seaside had its 13-game win streak snapped, while No. 10-ranked Astoria improves to 13-7 overall (6-2 in league, one game behind Seaside, 7-1). The two teams play Feb. 21 at Seaside.