Borderites Turn Back Pullman

Some of their other reasoning may have been faulty, but Blaine fans were dead right about one thing Saturday night.

When the Borderites faithful began chanting, “MVP,” for junior point guard Luke Ridnour in the waning seconds, they knew their stuff.

Tournament most valuable player Ridnour scored 23 points, including 10 of 12 from the free-throw line, and top-ranked Blaine wrapped up a 26-0 season with a 63-54 victory over Pullman (25-1) in the championship game of the boys State 2A basketball tournament at the SunDome.

“We learned from last year,” Ridnour said of last year’s second-place finish after starting that tournament ranked No. 1. “We just came out to do whatever it took to win.”

Both crowds taunted one another from the start, but Blaine was off the mark with one of its late chants. “Overrated!” the crowd jeered at Pullman, which entered ranked No. 2 and finished No. 2.

Ridnour finished the tourney with 116 points, 17 more than runner-up Brent Cummings of Pullman.

Although Cummings had 20 points and 13 rebounds Saturday, the smaller Borderites willingly accepted that. Pullman’s rebounding edge was just 36-35.

“That’s neutralized, right there,” said Blaine coach Rob Ridnour, Luke’s father.

Pullman blazed to a 12-2 lead behind Ryan Harms, who scored five points and fed Fred Rurangirwa for a basket after a steal.

Greyhounds coach Ken Swanger had called upon Anthony Petz to guard Ridnour. Ridnour was scoreless for 5 minutes and finished the first half 4 of 11 from the field.

But Ridnour’s offensive penetration and balanced scoring allowed the Borderites to whittle away at Pullman’s lead. Cummings and Josh Bray combined for 24 points in the first half, but they had little support after the midway point of the first quarter. “Our shots weren’t falling, I guess,” Cummings said. “They made smart shots and got right back into it.”

Tony Nymeyer’s 3-pointer with 3:50 left in the half gave Blaine its first lead, 28-27.

The Borderites were protecting a two-point lead with 1:20 left in the half when they chose to hold the ball near the midcourt line. Ridnour clutched the ball and Petz didn’t move to defend him.

Pullman’s crowd booed lustily, but Blaine’s answered back, “You can’t guard him.”

Ridnour let the clock tick to 10, then drove to the right of the 3-point circle. He flicked a pass to Nymeyer, who swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 37-32 lead.

“That was a momentum-breaker,” coach Ridnour said.

“That was my fault because my guy set the screen and I didn’t rotate out on it,” Cummings said.

Pullman never came closer than three points in the second half. Cummings was held scoreless for the first 9:45 after halftime.

Ridnour picked up his fourth foul with 5:13 left, but Blaine was able to sit on its 11-point lead. Pullman was forced to foul as the Borderites went to a stall game.

Cummings, a first-team, all-tournament selection, was second in tourney rebounding with 49. The University of Montana-bound Cummings finished his career with 1,370 points. The Greyhounds were 54-17 during his three years.

Harms made the all-tournament second team.

“It’s been fun over here,” Cummings said. “We got to play the first-place team in the state, and that’s what we wanted to do.”

Now that would be a good chant.

Blaine 63, Pullman 54

Blaine 17 20 9 17 - 63

Pullman 20 12 8 14 - 54

Blaine (63) - Newell 7, Scheib 3, Ridnour 23, Hones 0, Spencer 0, Harmening 1, Broyan 1, Cedarquist 0, Nymeyer 16, Riddle 4, Franklin 0, Stieb 8.

Pullman (54) - Cummings 20, Paulson 0, Bray 15, Harms 10, Rurangirwa 3, Morscheck 2, Weeks 2, Poole 0, Petz 2.