Bi-County Rivals Clash For Fourth

Loser-out

The Wilbur-Creston girls basketball team was banged up, worn down and deflated coming into its loser-out game with Pomeroy on Friday.

In the end, it didn’t seem to matter much.

The Wildcats rallied back from a three-point halftime deficit to beat the Pirates 55-52 and move into the trophy round of the 19th girls State B tournament.

They meet Bi-County rival Reardan, a 48-45 winner over St. George’s, at 2:30 p.m. for fourth place.

Morton and Rainier will play for fifth. Morton defeated Mount Vernon Christian 67-59, while Rainier was a 37-31 winner against Kittitas.

Pomeroy almost sent its game with Wilbur-Creston into overtime when Nettie Heytvelt broke free on a set play and launched a 3-point attempt that clanged off the back iron at the buzzer.

“She gave a little pump fake, got her girl kind of up, and then stepped over,” Pirates coach Jim Greene said. “She had a decent enough look. If it goes in we’re tied, but that’s the way it is.”

Pomeroy led most of the first half as the Pirates took advantage of Wilbur-Creston’s cold shooting. The Wildcats hit just 8 of 20 from the floor, but stayed within striking range by making 12 of 19 free throws.

“We weren’t feeling too good, really,” WC coach Steve Jantz said. “We were kind of down from yesterday’s (45-39 loss to Sunnyside Christian).”

Further compounding the Wildcats’ problems were an ankle injury to scoring leader Jessica Martin, and an upset stomach to starting point guard Mindy Banday.

At halftime, Jantz moved forward Martin out on the perimeter and take advantage of her passing ability. Then he put the game in the hands of his players.

“We just said, ‘Hey, ladies, it’s your last 16 minutes, what do you need to do?”’ Jantz said. “How many coaches have said that all their life? But you know, it’s that simple.”

In the third quarter, WC outscored Pomeroy 16-10 to take a 44-41 lead into the fourth quarter.

Two and a half minutes into the final period, Wildcats starter Holly Arden collided with Pomeroy’s Heytvelt and left the game with a sprained ankle.

Arden returned later in the period but was hobbled, and the Pirates pulled within 51-52 on Mindy John’s jumper with 1:46 remaining.

Both teams missed opportunities, and with 16 seconds left Bandy was sent to the foul line. She hit her first free throw, but missed her second. Brooke Warren rebounded to set up Heytvelt’s missed trey.

“It’s hard coming to the state tournament and being one of the higher-picked teams, getting knocked off and trying to bounce back,” Jantz said. “I was really happy with the bench and these girls really pulled together and sucked it up. It would have been real easy to lose to Pomeroy. They’re a quality team.”

St. George’s game with Reardan also came down to a final missed shot.

With the Indians leading 48-45, Reardan point guard Janelle Krupke missed a pair of free throws that could have iced the game with 21 seconds remaining.

The Dragons recovered the ball and drove the length of the court, but guard Melissa Harvill’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the rim.

, DataTimes