3 Bi-Co Teams Win First Day

Northeast B Tournament

Teams from the Bi-County League dominated play on Monday as the Wilbur-Creston and Almira/Coulee-Hartline girls and ACH boys won first-round games in the Northeast District B Tournament at Spokane Falls Community College.

The St. George’s boys were the only Panorama League team to come away with a win on the first of the five-day tournament.

The largest crowd of the day witnessed a thrilling overtime victory by the ACH boys (18-3) over Selkirk, 58-56, in which the Warriors’ Cam Carstensen hit a last-second 3-pointer to send the game into overtime. Carstensen also sank the winning field goal with less than a second left in the overtime. Selkirk is 19-6.

St. George’s (22-2) kept Liberty (16-8) close before it finally shut the door on the Lancers, 71-58.

The Dragons relied on 19 points from Luke Kennedy and the play of guard Meng Tseng, who had five assists and was able to break through a tough Liberty press, allowing St. George’s to set up an organized half-court offense.

Wilbur-Creston (21-1) surprised no one as it marched over Columbia, 65-38.

The Wildcats shot an impressive 52 percent from the floor and broke the game wide open in the third quarter by causing Lions (13-11) turnovers and converting them into points on breakaways.

The ACH (15-7) girls pressed early and triple-teamed the Crusaders’ 6-foot center, Jana Huston, as they defeated Northwest Christian 57-32.

The Warriors’ press caused 27 NWC (15-9) turnovers and was a factor in the Crusaders’ shooting only 27 percent from the field.

Boys

ACH 58, Selkirk 56

Whether or not you believe in deja vu, the Rangers and their fans were forced to live through it as Carstensen hit baskets that not once, but twice snatched victory from the upset-minded Panorama team.

Neither team built a lead larger than five points the entire game. With two-tenths of a seconds left in regulation, Carstensen hit a 3-point shot sending the game into overtime knotted at 52.

Carstensen, who scored all the Warriors’ points in overtime, hit another 3 and added a free throw. Selkirk fought back to tie at 56 with field goals by Josh Davis and Timm Farris. ACH held the ball for one shot and Carstensen came through with 1 second left to earn the win for the favored Warriors.

“We planned just for one shot,” said Carstensen. “We were going to take it to the hole and I just got it as the time ran out. It was fun!”

Almira/C-H 12 9 13 18 6 - 58

Selkirk 7 16 11 18 4 - 56

ALMIRA/COULEE-HARTLINE Pierce 7, Murray 15, Elder 2, Behne 0, Carstensen 25, Goodwin 0, J.Evers 2, K.Evers 7.

SELKIRK Kinney 0, Larson 0, Farris 6, J.Davis 16, Pichette 15, Huffine 0, Dial 17, Fandrey 2.

St. George’s 71, Liberty 58

The Dragons got strong support from their senior starting lineup as Kennedy, Tseng, Jason Ala, Dylan Averett and Christian Laugen combined for all the Dragons’ points.

The Lancers’ Travis Greenwalt and Tim Corwall sank big buckets in the second half, but it was too late. The Dragons never trailed after the first quarter.

Liberty 17 9 15 17 - 58

St. George’s 16 20 13 22 - 71

LIBERTY Cory 2, P.Rafter 10, Horlacher 1, Cooper 0, J.Rafter 13, Cornwall 13, Greenwalt 14, Engle 5. ST. GEORGE’S Tseng 11, Kennedy 19, Kuney 0, Ala 15, Laugen 10, Averett 16.

Girls

Wilbur-Creston 65, Columbia 38

The Wildcats led the entire game and dominated the boards as they out rebounded the Lions 40-23. WC’s Jessica Martin led all scorers with 19 points and led all rebounders with nine.

Twenty-eight of the Wildcats’ points came off Lions turnovers, mostly in the second half.

Josslin Skidmore, Jerica Blaine and Joleen Brisbois each had eight points for the Lions.

Wilbur-Creston 14 15 14 22 - 65

Columbia 11 9 6 12 - 38

WILBUR-CRESTON Harris 2, Mann 1, Allen 2, Llewellyn 6, Deahl 2, Martin 19, Erickson 10, L.Arden 2, H.Arden 6, Kunz 6, Bandy 14.

COLUMBIA Schrack 0, Etue 4, Skidmore 8, Schurger 6, Strickler 4, Brisbois 8, Dale 8, Dashiell 0.

ACH 57, NW Christian 32

Although the Crusaders led after the first quarter, Jody Rock and Christine Peterson combined for 19 points to set the pace early on for the Warriors.

NWC center Huston led her team with 10 points, but was kept in check most of the game.

Almira/Coulee-Hartline 6 15 16 20 - 57

NW Christian 8 5 9 10 - 32

ALMIRA/COULEE-HARTLINE Pitts 3, Ke.Horter 0, Malone 2, Rock 14, Dormaier 6, Peterson 21, Hunsaker 2, White 8, Ka.Horter 1.

NW CHRISTIAN Storro 0, Simmons 3, K.Smith 0, Moen 2, Greenup 6, E. Smith 0, Ogle 2, Montague 0, Casimir 0, Wright 7, Clouse 2, Huston 10. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TODAY’S GAMES Game 5: Girls - Selkirk (17-6) vs. Reardan (14-7), 1:30. Game 6: Girls - St. George’s (17-6) vs. Liberty (11-12), 3:15. Game 7: Boys - Republic (20-3) vs. Valley Christian (12-12), 6. Game 8: Boys - Northwest Christian (15-9) vs. Reardan (19-2), 7:45.