Payback Earns Kittitas Fourth
Much has changed since Kittitas hit the road several weeks ago to play Almira/Coulee-Hartline.
“When we went up there, they were ranked No. 1 in the state and played a great game,” said Kittitas senior Jim Hill. “We played with a lot more intensity this time.”
Thanks to Hill’s late heroics, Kittitas (19-7) edged ACH 67-65 in overtime Saturday at the Arena in the game for fourth and seventh places at the 54th boys State B high school basketball tournament.
Clallam Bay claimed third, 50-49 over Garfield-Palouse, and Summit beat Tacoma Baptist 46-44 for fifth.
ACH (22-6) beat Kittitas 69-54 during the regular season. After that game, ACH was 9-0 and Kittitas 5-4.
“Right now, we’re playing the best we have all year,” said Coyotes coach Tim Ravet. “It’s been perfect timing. It’s nice to know that our four seniors will end the year on a positive note.”
One of the seniors, Hill, scored seven points in overtime, including a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left to break a 63-all tie. He added an insurance free throw with 9.2 seconds left, then forced a turnover on the Warriors’ final possession.
“I just got open on a shot I’ve hit all year,” Hill said of the 3 from near the top of the key. “I didn’t even think; I just let it go.”
Kittitas earned its second-best placing at state. The Coyotes were third in 1989, Ravet’s senior year.
“We talked about that,” Ravet said. “I told them I’d love to be a part of the best two teams in school history.”
Kittitas led 14-6 before the Warriors closed the gap on five Matt Elder points. ACH passed the Coyotes early in the third quarter on a 3-pointer and two free throws by Cameron Carstensen, but by the end of the quarter Kittitas had regained control.
Eight fourth-quarter points by Jason Pierce kept ACH close, but Travis Flippins made two free throws with 1:26 left and Kelly Smith made 1 of 2 with 37.4 to go for a 53-51 Coyotes lead.
Pierce missed shots with 28 and 5 seconds left, but the Warriors secured offensive rebounds both times. On the second, Smith fouled Elder. The junior, who made 7 of 12 from the floor, missed both attempts - the second intentionally - but Aaron Murray corralled an offensive rebound and scored before the buzzer sounded.
Pierce’s sixth point in OT put ACH up 61-59 with 1:42 left, but Hill responded down the stretch.
“We never had intensity until the end, with a couple of spurts,” said ACH coach Jim Wacker. He said his team lost initiative after Thursday’s one-point loss to Pateros.
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