Nwc Heading For State After Upset

Every game before the district tournament is just a warmup for Northwest Christian.

The Crusaders (17-9) may not boast the state’s best record, but, once again, they’re headed for the boys District 7-B Tournament championship game and the State B Tournament.

“It was an all-or-nothing tournament; all we said is, ‘It’s time to play,”’ said NWC junior post Jeremy Affeldt after scoring 21 points Thursday to guide a 48-45 win over eighth-ranked Republic (21-4) at Spokane Falls Community College.

NWC, the defending district champ and runner-up in ‘94, meets seventh-ranked St. George’s (23-2) at 7:45 p.m. Saturday for the top two seeds to state. St. George’s is 3-0 against NWC this year, but two of the wins were by two points.

“We look at ourselves as definitely not as talented as other teams … but we’ve come together in spirit and intent with one purpose,” said second-year coach Danny Beard, whose Crusaders lost at Republic by 12 during the regular season.

Affeldt’s three-point play with 16.6 seconds left decided the contest. Affeldt’s steal with 20 seconds left set up the winning play.

“I just left my man (underneath), got the ball in my hands and took it,” said Affeldt, who scored 19 of NWC’s final 32 points.

Republic led 45-41 but went scoreless for the final 3:33. With 55 seconds left and the game tied at 45, Republic’s John Michaels rebounded teammate Mark Rickard’s errant free throw. The Tigers stalled until Affeldt’s steal.

Following Affeldt’s three-point play, NWC’s Zach Klaja stripped the ball from Rickard heading downcourt. Republic fouled Brandon West, who missed two free throws with 8.6 seconds left. Jason Baldwin, Republic’s season scoring leader, missed an off-balance 3-pointer before the buzzer.

Baldwin hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 during the third quarter, when the Tigers rallied from a horrible first half (21-percent shooting; a scoring drought of more than 8 minutes) to lead 35-30.

NWC’s Andy Crouch scored 10 of his 19 in the first quarter. No other Crusaders scored more than two.

NWC 48, Republic 45

NW Christian 8 10 12 18 - 48

Republic 4 7 24 10 - 45

NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN Mortlock 0, West 2, Marr 2, McCormick 0, Affeldt 21, Klaja 2, Phelps 0, Crouch 19, Smith 2.

REPUBLIC Michaels 2, Rickard 12, Baldwin 19, Hanks 6, Grimm 0, Kuchenmeister 2, Wilson 4.

V.Christian 48, Reardan 45

Freshman Jeremy Decker and sophomore Brian Sears sank both ends of one-and-one free-throw attempts in the final 34 seconds as the Panthers (13-13) shocked and eliminated the secondranked Indians (19-4).

Reardan, behind Robb Soliday’s 3-pointers, turned a 12-point halftime deficit into a 45-42 lead with 1:30 left. A rebound basket by Jeremy Sandin, whose 17 points and 12 rebounds led all players, pulled VC within one point.

Reardan 11 7 12 15 - 45

Valley Christian 16 14 7 11 - 48

REARDAN Kiger 10, Graham 2, Ro.Soliday 16, Rh.Soliday 3, Titchenal 4, Eastman 8, Krupke 2, Eller 0.

VALLEY CHRISTIAN Decker 7, Teterud 2, Spuler 12, Sears 8, Asbury 2, Sandin 17, King 0.

GIRLS

Reardan 55, St. George’s 41

Senior Brenda Rohner scored nine of her team’s final 19 points as the Indians (16-7) ended the Dragons’ 15-game win streak and recent domination at district.

Reardan will play Bi-County League rival Wilbur-Creston (22-1) at 6 Saturday for the top two seeds to the State B Tournament. Reardan last played for the district title in 1991, the year before St. George’s and Davenport began a title-game series that stretched four years.

“We didn’t concentrate much on the past,” said Reardan coach Bryce Wilson, who noted that Rohner and her classmates were dedicated to reaching state for the first time. “The senior leadership pulled us through.”

St. George’s (18-7) led 28-26 midway through the third quarter when Reardan senior Lisa Bocook guided a 16-4 run. Bocook, who had nine assists, fed Katie Supinger and Kristen Turner for baskets then started the fourth quarter with a steal and layup.

Rohner scored seven in the final 6:08 as the weary Dragons lost Cherea Davis and Melissa Harvill to fouls.

St. George’s, which relies on pressure defense, committed 24 turnovers, six more than Reardan. The Indians had just nine turnovers after the first quarter.

“We just took our time, had lots of patience, and used short, quick passes,” Rohner said. “I think once we got them on the run we had them nervous.”

Supinger’s 11 rebounds led a 36-29 edge. Harvill scored 14 and had six steals.

St. George’s 14 6 12 9 - 41

Reardan 11 13 14 17 - 55

ST. GEORGE’S Davis 6, Boutz 0, DeNiro 0, Swift 4, Trowbridge 5, Routh-Corker 8, Appling 4, Harvill 14.

REARDAN Bocook 9, Krupke 7, Holwegner 7, Guhlke 4, Rohner 14, Turner 4, Supinger 10.

Selkirk 60, Liberty 47

Sophomore Molly Carlson scored 35 and added 12 rebounds to guide a 52-32 edge as the Rangers (18-7) eliminated the Lancers (11-14). Carlson made 12 of 20 from the floor and 11 of 16 at the line. Liberty’s Amy Torguson scored 11.

Liberty 9 12 10 16 - 47

Selkirk 14 11 9 26 - 60

LIBERTY Pittman 0, Cory 6, Neibart 9, Polione 5, Parka 3, Bothman 4, Short 0, Cornwall 9, Prince 0, Gardner 0, Adams 0, Torguson 11.

SELKIRK Dickinson 4, Jennings 0, Sharp 0, Grass 7, Weaver 0, Koontz 8, Dury 1, Porter 5, Carlson 35.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Today’s NEB games Boys Game 9-Almira/Coulee-Hartline (18-4) vs. Valley Christian (13-13) (loser out), 3:15 p.m. G10-Liberty (17-8) vs. Republic (21-4) (loser out), 7:45 p.m.

Girls G9-Almira/Coulee-Hartline (15-8) vs. Selkirk (18-7) (loser out), 1:30 p.m. G10-Northwest Christian (16-9) vs. St. George’s (18-7) (loser out), 6 p.m.