Frontier League Boys Go 2-0 In Aa State Openers Cheney, Colville Move On In State Play In Tacoma Dome

The latest edition of the State AA basketball tournament program includes a mention of the record-setting 1996 Cheney Blackhawks under the headings: least points scored and lowest average.

Those injury-depleted Blackhawks exited the Tacoma Dome with 71 points (35.5 average) in two losses, which perhaps didn’t prepare fans for Cheney’s 68-56 win Wednesday over undisciplined Cleveland in an opener at the ‘97 boys tourney.

“Last year we lost (leading scorer and rebounder) Rick (DeMulling) before we even came here,” said junior Paul Malasani, who guided Wednesday’s charge with 18 rebounds and 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. “We just wanted to come out and show people we’re not that much of an underdog. A lot of people here don’t even know where Cheney is.”

Not many may know where Colville is, either, but it may help to find out. The Indians (17-6) made it a 2-0 day for the Frontier League by beating Blanchet 65-53 behind Jed Ortner’s season-high 25 points. Colville was 0-2 in 1995, its only other state appearance.

“I knew that we and Cheney could compete over here because we’re both fundamentally sound,” said coach Bill Pilgeram, who must prepare for tonight’s 9:30 quarterfinal against Jackson (19-6). In the day’s final game, Jackson upset defending champ Gig Harbor 63-61.

Cheney (17-8) advances to tonight’s 6:30 quarterfinal against surprising Ephrata (19-7). Ephrata, third out of District 5-6, toppled second-ranked Olympia 67-64. Cheney coach Denny Humphrey and Ephrata coach Marty O’Brien were college mates at Eastern Washington University (then State College) in the early 1960s.

Cheney 68, Cleveland 56

Malasani picked up his second foul with the Blackhawks leading 16-8 late in the first quarter. When he returned 4:20 later, Cleveland (15-11) was well on its way to tying the game at 21.

Malasani scored 10 as Cheney stormed from the tie to a 48-27 lead. The Eagles, giving up 2 to 3 inches to Malasani, August Parker and Eric Sobotta, couldn’t score from inside for more than 7 minutes.

“We had a scouting report on Cleveland,” said Humphrey, who picked up career win No. 476. “We knew they shot a lot of 3s, and we were told they didn’t run much of an offense.”

Cheney ran into trouble only when it played Cleveland’s style, which Humphrey called “Phase ball,” for the players’ pickup games at EWU’s Phase.

“It kind of reminded me of playing Medical Lake,” Malasani said. “We just had to take care of the ball and box out.”

Box out they did. Parker added a game-high 19 rebounds to help forge a 52-28 advantage.

Cheney’s Tucker Urdahl, a holdover with Parker and Malasani from last year’s state team, had three 3-pointers and seven assists.

Four players hit double figures for both teams, but no Eagles scored more than 11. Martin Harris hit 5 of 9 field goals for Cleveland, whose players refused to shake hands after the game.

Cheney 19 22 13 14 - 68

Cleveland 12 15 14 15 - 56

CHENEY Stiffler 4 1-1 11, Urdahl 4 0-0 11, Parker 7 3-5 17, Malasani 8 3-8 18, Sobotta 1 0-0 2, Waller 3 1-2 8, Reser 0 0-0 0, Stoddard 0 0-0 0. Totals: 27 8-16 68.

CLEVELAND Willis 1 4-4 6, Chow 0 0-0 0, Dickerson 3 3-4 10, Travis 4 1-2 10, Harris 5 0-1 11, Sturdivant 4 1-2 11, Jordan 0 0-0 0, Armstrong 0 0-0 0, Holland 0 0-0 0, Brantley 3 1-2 8. Totals: 20 10-15 56.

3-pointers - Urdahl 3, Stiffler 2, Waller, Sturdivant 2, Dickerson, Brantley, Travis, Harris. Total fouls - Cheney 11, Cleveland 19. Fouled out - none. Technicals - none.

Colville 65, Blanchet 53

Ortner, a junior whose previous season high was 23, hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter to help fashion a 15-7 lead. He added another to build a double-digit advantage moments into the second half, then back-to-back 3s midway through the quarter.

“Once they start dropping, it goes from there,” said Ortner, whose sister Jill plays at the University of Idaho.

“(Ortner) had the great game, but that’s one thing about our team,” Pilgeram said. “We have seven guys who can do that in a game.”

The Braves (14-12) trimmed Colville’s lead to 24-21 late in the first half, but Tim Sprangers responded with a coast-to-coast layup, then a steal and assist to Ortner. Sprangers, a 6-footer, led all players with 12 rebounds.

Blanchet had few highlights but did win the boards 37-32.

“To keep going in the tournament we’re going to have to do better at that,” Pilgeram said.

Blanchet 10 11 9 23 - 53

Colville 18 10 18 19 - 65

BLANCHET Wood 4 0-0 10, Wellnitz 3 3-4 11, Kennedy 6 1-1 14, DeGuzman 1 2-4 4, Basich 5 0-0 10, Bourgette 0 0-0 0, Condon 1 0-0 2, Osborne 0 0-0 0, Wickert 1 0-0 2, Broom 0 0-0 0, Witsoe 0 0-0 0, Hopps 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 6-9 53.

COLVILLE Ortner 7 6-9 25, True 3 5-7 11, Sprangers 3 1-2 7, Day 0 4-4 4, Salina 1 5-8 7, Meinhold 1 2-4 5, Eslick 0 0-0 0, Bateman 0 0-0 0, Bowland 3 0-0 6, Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 23-34 65.

3-pointers - Wood 2, Wellnitz 2, Kennedy, Ortner 5, Meinhold. Total fouls- Blanchet 24, Colville 10. Fouled out - Wellnitz, DeGuzman. Technicals - none.

, DataTimes