ARLINGTON — A smoothly conducted first half gave way to third quarter mishaps, but the Arlington boys basketball team managed to hold their early lead until the final buzzer.

Better free-throw shooting by Ferndale in the third quarter might have cost Arlington the teams’ Dec. 4 meeting but the Eagles prevailed, 56-45. The halves of the game were a study in contrast. Arlington seemed to execute well in the first half, outscoring Ferndale two-to-one and allowing just six field goals in 16 minutes. While Arlington turned the ball over a few times on miscommunicated passes, the boys were able to make up for it by forcing the Golden Eagles to turn the ball over as well.

“The first half was great. Our defense was good, we were pouring it on. We played with a lot of intensity and things started clicking,” said Arlington coach Nick Brown. “In the second half, we played not to lose.”

Arlington fouls sent Ferndale to the free-throw line nine times in the third quarter. But for 53 percent shooting from the line over the eight minute period, Ferndale could have closed the gap to two points by the fourth quarter. The constant whistles against the Eagles also cost the home team down the stretch when the team’s most reliable scorers Tyler Busby and Cole Carpenter were benched with their fourth fouls.

While the boys were unable to match their 25-point efforts from earlier in the week against Sultan, Busby and Carpenter each got into double figures with 11 points each against Ferndale. Senior guard Lucas lead his teammates with 12 points spread out throughout the game.

“I’m proud of my kids,” Brown added. “We played through adversity.”

At Arlington High School

Ferndale 5 10 17 13 – 45

Arlington 14 17 11 14 – 56

Arlington — Cooper 6, Richardson 8, Heath 8, Busby 11, Carpenter 11, Larson 12. Ferndale — Morris 1, Maarhuis 3, Carr 3, Hannah 4, Locker 8, Nelson 12, Frost 14. 3-point goals — Locker 1, Carpenter 1, Larson 1.