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

State 1B boys: Young Odessa-Harrington prevails over Chief Kitsap

For The Spokesman-Review

At times they played like the freshmen they are, at others they played lights out.

And it proved enough as Odessa-Harrington held off Chief Kitsap Academy 53-47 setting up today’s 5:30 p.m. State 1B boys basketball tournament quarterfinal against rival Almira/Coulee-Hartline. It’s the fourth time the two will meet.

There are five freshmen on the Titans roster, none more vital to the development of this team than Ryan Moffet and Camden Weber. The guards scored 22 of the Titans 31 first-half points, Moffet with 16 by halftime to take a 31-21 lead.

But the talented youngster tried to do too much in the second half enabling the Bears to turn the game into a nail biter. The double digit lead was down to a point until Weber scored on an other-worldly drive and with 27 seconds left, Moffet drilled a long-range three that put the game away. He finished with 25.

The Titans also played tough around the boards, out-rebounding Chief Kitsap 45-31.

“They’ve been playing ball since they were little kids,” coach Travis Schuh said of the youngsters, whose dads, Larry and Larry are Schuh’s assistants. “They’ve been coached by those guys.”

He said his team needed to play physical, play defense and rebound and needed a couple guys to shoot and drive. Mission accomplished.

Both teams liked to get up and down the floor, particularly Chief Kitsap which put the pressure on early. But it was Odessa that capitalized with its rebounding and fast break as well. Moffet launched two 3-pointers in the first couple minutes of the game and Weber scored a couple of baskets for an 10-0 lead.

The Titans never trailed.

Jaden Hunt added a couple scores making it 14-7, then Odessa-Harrington players tightened a bit in their haste and struggled around the rim allowing Chief Kitsap to close within three points early in the second half.

Even though dominating the boards the team couldn’t score for a spell. But Moffet hit a shot as the first quarter ended and then scored nine second-quarter points as O-H outscored its foe 13-5 down the stretch and led 31-20 at intermission.

They kept the lead around 10 points throughout the third quarter, but their energetic foe cut the lead to 48-47 midway through the final period. Moffet scored seven straight points to help put the team back in front by 13.

“Ryan is in the gym a lot and very focused on his goals,” Schuh said. “Weber is streaky, but he’s coming around.”

Colton Hunt scored 10 points and 10 rebounds for a team that scrapped after loose balls and at times took the ball from the hands of Chiefs rebounder.

So the tournament’s 15th-seeded team (16-8) had taken down No. 7 while winning its ninth game in 11 outings to become one of eight teams remaining and still in the hunt for state championship.

In three previous meetings, ACH (22-2) has won by 27, 2 and 14 points.

Muckleshoot Tribal 67, Tacoma Baptist 35

Although the Crusaders stayed close for the first and third quarters, Muckleshoot outscored Tacoma Baptist 46-15 in the quarters that ended each half leading to their one-sided victory.

Much of the damage was from long rnge where 30 of the Kings points came from beyond the arc.

Kobe Courville scored 17 points. Kash and Darius Nichols combined for 27 more.

Muckleshoot plays Lummi Nation 3:45 p.m. in today’s oather quarterfinals