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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Boys’ B Semifinalists Are The Ones No One In The East Vs. West Final Four Has Been There Before

Chris Derrick Staff Writer

A semifinal night straight out of Tinseltown has come to pass.

The four semifinalists at the 53rd boys State B basketball tournament at the Coliseum will all enter tonight with just one loss apiece.

Adding to the intrigue, Adna (24-1), Dayton (26-1), SpragueHarrington (28-1) and Toutle Lake (24-1) are all making their first appearances in a state semifinal.

Second-ranked Adna opens the big night at 6:30 against fourthranked Dayton. S-H, also ranked second, challenges fifth-ranked Toutle Lake at 8.

“Some people might have predicted this (final four),” said Toutle Lake coach Eric Swanson. “It should be fun.”

Swanson is hoping to win and meet Adna for the championship. The District 4 rivals split this year.

Thursday’s best quarterfinal came during the morning session, when Adna defeated seventhranked Almira/Coulee-Hartline 57-56 on a layup at the buzzer. Dayton followed with a 66-58 win over unranked and inspired Pateros.

S-H defeated game Snohomish County Christian 64-51 in the first night quarterfinal, then Toutle Lake humbled Summit 86-52.

Tacoma Baptist, Naselle, Mabton and Garfield-Palouse won loser-out games to stay in the running for trophies.

Kittitas, Neah Bay, Pe Ell and Northwest Christian were eliminated.

Tacoma-Baptist and Naselle begin today’s loser-out play at 10:30 a.m. Following that game are: ACH and Pateros, noon; Mabton and Gar-Pal, 1:30 p.m.; and SCC and Summit, 3.