MARYSVILLE – Sedro-Woolley scored a number of easy layups in its game against Marysville-Pilchuck Dec. 19.

But M-P coach Bary Gould didn’t mind that they scored one at the end of the game. He, along with everyone else in the gym, was probably surprised that they didn’t attempt what could have been a game-tying 3-pointer.

As a result, M-P improved its record to 7-0 with the 65-64 win, as S-W suffered its first loss, dropping to 3-1.

Sophomore guard Luke Dobler again led the Tommies in scoring with 18, followed by 6-foot-5 junior wing Raequan Battle with 15 and senior guard Josiah Gould with 13. Sophomore Aaron Kalab and senior Kobe Bauman, both wings, scored 9 each and senior postman Deadon Mongar had 1.

Battle hit a 3 and Gould a layup off a fastbreak as M-P jumped out to a lead. When Baumann made a nifty assist to Kalab, then hit his own half-hook shot M-P was up 11-9. But when they allowed S-W to go coast to coast they trailed at the end of one 13-11.

M-P didn’t get back on defense very well, and S-W scored a number of fastbreak layups to build a 19-13 lead. Gould hit a couple of 3’s, Baumann hit one and Dobler scored on a runner, but S-W’s offense of slashing and driving to the hoop continued to work as the Cubs led 29-27 at the half.

M-P did a much better job getting back on defense in the third period, building a 48-42 lead. Along with better defense, balanced scoring was key in the third quarter. Dobler had a 3 and three other buckets. Kalab scored off an offensive rebound, and then against on a great pass from Gould.

S-W started crashing the offensive boards hard in the fourth quarter, and M-P didn’t contest their entry passes inside very well, as the visitors mounted a comeback. M-P was outscored 11-4 in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to tie it up at 53. A key moment in the game came when S-W was called for a technical foul with 2:25 remaining. Battle and Dobler hit two free throws each and when Battle scored on an alley oop pass from Dobler, then Dobler scored a 3-pointer, M-P took a 61-55 lead.

But S-W quickly hit a 3 and another uncontested layup to make it 61-60.

Battle sank two free throws, but S-W came back with yet another layup.

Dobler hit a free shot, but missed the second with 6.9 seconds remaining. But he grabbed his own rebound, was fouled and made another free throw to make it 65-62.