ILWACO – Ridgefield’s Johnny Peru, all 5-foot 6-inch of him, almost single-handedly turned a close game into a Spudder Trico-League victory Monday at Ilwaco, 71-62. The Fishermen loss created a logjam atop the league with Ilwaco, Ridgefield, and LaCenter each with identical 5-1 marks at the half-way point of conference play.

Ilwaco began the game cold as a clear January night, making only two of their first 10 shots and turning the ball over no less than four times in the first five minutes. Ironically, exceptional foul shooting brought the Fishermen back in the contest as they converted on 9-12 from the line in the first period. (For the season, Ilwaco had only shot an even 50 percent on 77 of 154 attempts before tonight).

Andy Hudkins scored a field goal and Dustin Starr made two hoops inside to make the score 15-16 with a tick of the clock left in the first quarter. Kyle Kaino worked for a layin that everyone in Aase Gym thought went in before the buzzer to give Ilwaco the lead – everyone but the trail official, who waved the bucket off.

Peru and his fellow defenders contested every shot, continued to harass the ball-handlers, and disrupted Ilwaco’s offensive sets in the second quarter much as they had to start the game, taking a 20-29 lead with four minutes left in the half. A pair of Kaino “threes,” an Andy Hudkins jump shot, Rocky Mirelez’s layup, and five more free throws brought the Fishermen to within 31-35 at “popcorn time.”

The beginning of the third quarter once again saw the Spudders slice through the Fishermen to the tune of a 12-3 run, led by Peru’s driving layups, deft passes, and outside scoring. With just over four minutes left in the third frame Ilwaco took a stand, going on a 26-14 scoring spurt of their own. The Spudders had switched to a 1-3-1 zone defense to keep their players out of foul trouble and Ilwaco found it to their liking.

Over the next nine minutes, Kaino hit for nine, Ryan Cadwell poured in eight points, Hudkins six, and Mirelez three. With 2:53 remaining in the contest, Cadwell stole the ball on the Ridgefield baseline, muscled inside for a shot but was mashed by a Spudder defender. On the way down he threw up a prayer that was answered with a bucket and Cadwell added the foul shot to draw within one point at 60-61.

Peru, on a compendium of steals, slashing drives, elevated jump shots, and assists to 6-foot 7-inch Jason Potwora or hot-shooting Zach Parnell took his Ridgefield teammates on one final 10-2 run to victory. For good measure he helped freeze the basketball in the final seconds. Coach Matt Blair had started with defensive ace, Starr on Peru, and had put Kaino, Cadwell, and even 6-foot 3-inch Hudkins on him to try to slow Peru.

Ilwaco used balanced scoring from Kaino (17), Hudkins (17), and Cadwell (16) to battle Ridgefield. Cadwell and Hudkins each pulled down eight boards and Cadwell and Kaino doled out five assists apiece. Hudkins snared two steals as the Spudders had a miniscule eight turnovers for the feverishly-paced contest.

The Fishermen made 13 turnovers, six in the first quarter, battled Ridgefield evenly on the glass with each team securing 38 rebounds. Both squads committed 17 personal fouls. Ilwaco shot 36 percent from the field (20-56), but a much improved 82 percent from the charity stripe (18-22).

The Spudders fried the nets on 30 of their 62 shots from the field (48 percent) and Peru was 12 of 25 to set the pace. Ridgefield only made 7-13 from the line (54 percent).

The junior varsity contest was a wild and wooly affair with Ilwaco taking a 27-11 lead, only to see the Spudders go on an 18-1 tear and eventually take home a 59-55 win. Leading Fishermen scorers were Jordan Williams and Tommy Inserra with 15 points apiece. The JVs are now 4-6 for the year.

Ridgefield 16 19 18 18 -71

Ilwaco 15 16 5 16 -62

Ilwaco – Kaino 17, Hudkins 17, Cadwell 16, Starr 7, Mirelez 5, Thorne, Ellsworth

Ridgefield – Peru 25, Potwora 15, Parnell 14, Bleth 9, Rauch 6, Hefflin 2