Whatcom County Girls & Boys High School Basketball
BellingHome: Sehome Sweeps Bellingham
The Sehome Mariners made it a clean sweep of the annual BellingHome Battle by winning the girls game, boys game, and spirit award on Thursday night, Jan. 29, but it wasn’t easy getting past rival Bellingham. The Sehome girls needed a big third quarter to finally shake off the stubborn Bayhawks, 41-24, in the evening’s first game. The victory raised the Mariners’ overall record to 14-5 and their Northwest Conference mark to 10-3. Bellingham, meanwhile, … Read More »
Turrell Family Unique Among Whatcom’s Sibling Revelry
Family affairs have always been a regular part of Whatcom County basketball, but one thing you can count on every year is siblings playing for their schools’ varsity teams. This season, eight of our 11 high schools have either brothers on the same team, sisters on the same team, or in a few cases, both a brother and sister playing for their varsity squads. But there are some unique combinations in 2025-26. At Squalicum, basketball … Read More »
Oak Harbor Takes Down Blaine Boys, 72-52
When you lose a game you really wanted to win and probably could have won, it’s best to focus on the big picture as the Blaine boys realized after falling to Oak Harbor, 72-52, on Monday, Jan. 19. The defeat dropped the Borderites to 4-11 overall and 2-8 in the Northwest Conference. It was especially frustrating since the visiting Wildcats came in with only a marginally better record and are now 5-10 overall and 3-6 … Read More »
Whatcom Hoops: Girls Week 7 Recap (Jan. 12-17)
With three weeks left in the regular season, the 11 Whatcom girls teams will be battling for playoff positions with the rest of the Northwest Conference and Northwest 1B League. And after seven weeks, things are starting to clear up. Lummi Nation’s place atop the NW1B and a top seed in the district tournament are almost guaranteed with the Lady Blackhawks still unbeaten in league play and winning by an average margin of more than … Read More »
Whatcom Hoops: Boys Week 7 Recap (Jan. 12-17)
With only three weeks left in the regular season, the Whatcom teams are jockeying for seeding positions in the Northwest Conference and Northwest 1B League. Two teams that don’t have much to worry about are Lummi Nation and Lynden Christian, both of whom picked up a pair of wins in Week 7 and who continue to lead their respective classifications with unbeaten records. The Blackhawks remain atop the NW1B and will be looking forward to … Read More »
Lynden Christian Girls, Boys Turn Back Storm
The first-place Lynden Christian girls and boys basketball teams literally weathered the Storm and held off the red-hot Squalicum squads in a doubleheader Saturday night, Jan. 17. In the first game, the No.2-ranked LC girls had to hold the Storm scoreless for nearly the final four minutes to escape the upset and snap Squalicum’s 12-game winning streak with a thrilling 44-40 victory. The win, coming after a five-point loss to 4A Lake Stevens on Friday … Read More »
Lynden Girls, Boys Shut Down Sehome
It’s officially Jake Maberry Gymnasium but even the legendary Lynden boys basketball coach wouldn’t mind it being referred to as the Den of Defense after the Lynden boys and girls shut down Sehome in a doubleheader sweep Wednesday night, Jan. 14. The undefeated and No.1-ranked Lynden girls were relentless on defense — and on offense — in putting away the upstart Mariners, 70-19, in the evening’s first game. The victory raised the Lions’ record to … Read More »
Whatcom Hoops: Girls Week 6 Recap (Jan. 5-10)
There are a lot of high school basketball rankings out there, but the one that matters most is the WIAA’s Rating Percentage Index (RPI). It is probably the most important factor in determining seedings in the playoffs, including state tournaments. It is a complicated formula taking into account teams’ records, their opponents’ records, and their opponents’ opponents’ records (we told you it was complicated), but not margin of victory, the classification of opponents, or head-to-head … Read More »
Whatcom Hoops: Boys Week 6 Recap (Jan. 5-10)
There are a lot of high school basketball rankings out there, but the one that matters most is the WIAA’s Rating Percentage Index (RPI). It is probably the most important factor in determining seedings in the playoffs, including state tournaments. It is a complicated formula taking into account teams’ records, their opponents’ records, and their opponents’ opponents’ records (we told you it was complicated), but not margin of victory, the classification of opponents, or head-to-head … Read More »
Confident Ferndale Boys Down Nooksack, 58-46
It has been a difficult winter for the Ferndale and Nooksack Valley boys basketball teams with their communities flooded and all the cancellations, but the Golden Eagles finally seemed to have it figured out, which they proved by winning their rescheduled game with the Pioneers, 58-46, on Saturday, Jan. 10. “Confidence is the key,” said Ferndale coach Luke DuChesne. “You’ve got to expect to win. We’re starting to figure it out.” The victory — in … Read More »
Nooksack Girls Adapt, Rally Past Burlington, 51-45
It took the Nooksack Valley girls basketball team three quarters to adapt, but once the Pioneers did it was enough to propel them past Burlington-Edison, 51-45, in a Northwest Conference game Thursday, Jan. 8. “Good teams have to be adaptable and adjust, and we want to be a good team,” said Nooksack Valley coach Shane Wichers, whose squad improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in conference play. “You just have to hang around and take … Read More »
Lynden Girls Dominate Bellevue Christian, 82-37
In a matchup of defending state champions that was expected to be one of the few formidable tests for the Lynden girls basketball team before the playoffs, the Lions demolished Bellevue Christian, 82-37, on Tuesday, Jan. 6. “We knew they were good,” said junior Lexi Hermanutz, who had 15 points. “I was excited (to play them). It was fun.” The non-league victory raised Lynden’s record to 11-0 on the season, and while the result might … Read More »
Squalicum Girls Shoot Down Golden Eagles, 62-47
When the Squalicum girls basketball team realized it couldn’t outmuscle Ferndale in their Northwest Conference matchup, the Storm used a different weapon — the 3-pointer — to shoot down the Golden Eagles, 62-47, on Monday, Jan. 5. “We’ve been practicing our 3-pointers,” said Squalicum coach Caden Mee, whose squad improved to 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the NWC. “I’m really proud of the way they battled back and kept their heads high.” Through the first … Read More »
Whatcom Hoops: Boys Week 5 Recap (Dec. 29-Jan. 3)
It was a great week for the Lummi Nation and Lynden Christian boys teams, both of whom captured holiday tournament titles and finished the week with big victories. The Blackhawks claimed the only local boys tournament — the three-day Trojan Storm Winter Classic — by beating host Meridian in the final, and the Lyncs went down south to win both their games at the Mountlake Terrace Holiday Tournament. Sehome also won the Burlington-Edison Holiday Tournament. … Read More »