Peninsula has their three-point shooting asset in Toby Spurlock

When Toby Spurlock checks in for Peninsula, he does more than knock down the coveted three-point shot.

But when he does, it’s exactly the scoring boost the Seahawks need.

In the words of coach Matt Robles, it keeps the defense honest.

“(He’s) a weapon,” Robles said. “He stretches the defense. You need a guy to stretch the defense, especially when we’re struggling to score.”

So even when his teammates have the ball, Spurlock has to be guarded.

“He can keep a defender next to him … so his teammate can drive it and find a scoring lane himself,” Robles said. “Or, if Toby’s guy helps, you can drive and kick to (Toby) and he can shoot. He really stretches the floor when he’s on there.”

In his sophomore year, Spurlock has become the bench spark the Seahawks look to. Specifically, according to Robles, as a perimeter shooter.

Through 16 games this season, Spurlock is shooting 32% from beyond the arc.

“When we haven’t scored in a while, and we need some points, that’s really my role this year,” Spurlock said. “To come off the bench and knock down some shots. I think that’s something I’m pretty good at.”

And when Spurlock knocks those shots down, it does much more than add three points to the scoreboard.

“When I knock down a couple shots, I think that really gives our defense the energy we need to fly around,” Spurlock said. “I think we’re all just really energized when I start hitting a few shots.

“And I think that goes for anyone. When anyone goes on a scoring run, it really just energizes the defense.”

After Peninsula won three straight against league opponents throughout January, the Seahawks proceeded to drop three. Since then, the team beat Shelton in a low-scoring contest to get back in the win column.

Spurlock knew the key for winning basketball before the victory.

“We stopped playing as a team (in the losses), which I really think is (typically) our strong suit,” Spurlock said. “When we do that, we’re a really hard team to beat. If we play as a team and move the ball more… when we did that in the last few games, we scored almost every time.”

The Spurlock name is recognizable for the Peninsula program. Just last year, Tyler Spurlock -- the older brother of Toby -- graduated and began his college career at Arizona Christian University.

As coach of both Spurlock brothers, Robles notices similarities between the games of Tyler and Toby.

Robles says the two are offensively-minded, and though Tyler did not play in the Peninsula program until his junior year, the brothers are aggressive, high-level scorers, and were once both “young guys just trying to figure it out.”

Spurlock sees his three-point shot in his older brother.

“Offensively, we are both very good from the three-point line. I think as I develop as a player, I will really show signs of him in my offensive game.”

The Seahawks -- now with just two games remaining in the regular season -- will lose seven seniors after the season.

Spurlock isn’t one of them.

With two years remaining in his high school career, both Spurlock and his coach see skill, potential, and room for improvement.

“Basketball comes naturally to (Toby),” Robles said. “He can play at a high level. … I think Toby’s future is pretty bright.”

This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 6:00 AM.