Billygoats Turn Back The B Clock

Notebook

Every year at the State B-Fest there’s bound to be a team with the battle cry: “After (fill in the blank) years, we finally made it back to the tournament.”

One prime example this year is Pe Ell, which last qualified for the boys tournament in 1967.

That groovy year, in fact, is the only time Pe Ell played in the Coliseum.

Yet Pe Ell’s story plays second fiddle this year to that of Pateros.

At long last, after at least a half-century of trying, Pateros is in the field.

And the Billygoats made it without Patrick Hunter, a natural leader on and off the court. Hunter, who quarterbacked Pateros to the State B-8 finals, hurt his shoulder during football season and played just two basketball games.

“We decided we wouldn’t let it hold us up,” said 10-year Pateros coach Mike Hull. “We went to a bigger lineup, and it may have been what helped us in the end.”

To qualify, Pateros knocked off 1994 state runner-up Waterville at the District 6 Tournament.

“There have been a lot of heartaches for Pateros teams at district,” Hull said. “Our saying has been, ‘We’re not getting a monkey off our back. We have to get King Kong off.”’

Stellar mark

Davenport girls coach Jim Stinson has compiled a 107-8 record in his four years at the helm.

Three of those losses came at the hands of St. George’s, two to Coeur d’Alene, one to Moscow and two to St. John-Endicott. Three of those four teams won state titles last year.

What DNA?

We did a background check on Adna’s 7-foot junior, Jeff Ellis.

The tallest person in Ellis’ immediate family is an older brother who’s 6-2. Mom and Dad Ellis are less than 6 feet tall.

“Jeff was 6-10 last year,” said Adna coach Jeff Beasley. “His coordination is starting to come around.”

Raymond’s omm’A Givens was 6-8 when he made the tournament as a freshman in ‘91. Givens transferred to Aberdeen and grew to 6-11 by his senior year. He’s now at UCLA.

Brewster’s D.J. Shiflett, all 6-11 of him, played at the tournament in ‘92.

All Crider’ed out

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Crider: Please send more.

Tekoa-Oakesdale is close to running out of Criders.

Nighthawks coach John Jaeger knows a thing or two about the Crider family.

Heidi Crider was his starting point guard for three years. Katie Crider inherited the position for two seasons and now Stephanie Crider, a junior, has the position.

The three have six years of state tournament experience among them.

“I’ve gotten good mileage out of that family,” Jaeger said. “They sure have been good to me.”

The Criders are the sisters of Carl Crider, who is a sophomore guard at Eastern Washington University.

Bye-bye blues for Brews

Brewster, which made 21 appearances at state and won five titles, was eliminated at district by Waterville 64-56.

Brewster jumps to Class A next year, and may be gone for good from the B’s.

The Bears are best known for their three consecutive titles from 1975-77, during which they compiled an 82-game winning streak.

The following fields overflowed: SECTION = 1995 STATE B BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT