Seaside's Ever Sibony (4) scored a team-high 15 points in Saturday's nonleague game at Knappa.

By Lincoln Miller, for OSAAtoday

ASTORIA – Knappa's boys basketball team extended its winning streak to 12 on Saturday with its most impressive victory of the season.

The 2A No. 2 Loggers won 58-52 at home over 4A No. 5 Seaside. Considering Knappa lost to Seaside handily in the teams' last two meetings -- 62-25 last season and 79-49 in 2018-19 -- the Loggers entered the game with something to prove.

“They cemented how tough they are,” Knappa coach Paul Isom said of his players, who started the winning streak after opening the season with a 47-42 loss to 2A No. 1 Western Christian. “This was a team win. It’s impossible to pick out a single star.”

Logan Morrill, a 6-foot-9 senior, scored a team-high 15 points for Knappa (12-1). Senior guards Tanner Jackson and Shane McMahan added 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Loggers.

Seaside (11-4) controlled much of the first half, led by senior Ever Sibony. The 6-0 guard scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the first half and played lock-down defense on McMahan, holding him to two points before the break.

Jackson kept Knappa in the game with clutch steals and timely baskets, scoring nine of his points in the first half.

The Loggers chipped away at the lead through hard-nosed defense. Midway through the third quarter, they took the lead for the first time, and held off the Seagulls for the win.

McMahan said the Loggers just needed to “keep their composure and control the pace” to get back in the game. It helped that they made 19 of 25 free throws for the game.

Seaside coach Bill Westerholm said his team did not hit shots that they normally do, and that “poor shot selection” allowed Knappa to go on runs.

“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Westerholm said. “Knappa is much improved over last year. You need to respect the competition.”

Senior Carson Kawasoe made four three-pointers for Seaside.