Cheney Teams Ko’D

Region IV 3A

The Cheney boys basketball team played a flat first half Tuesday night. The Cheney girls played a flat third quarter.

And both Blackhawks teams were eliminated at home in the loser-out first round of the Region IV 3A tournament, falling to third-seeded teams from the Mid-Valley League.

Three Ellensburg players scored in double figures in its 53-49 boys win and the Bulldogs’ size made it difficult for the Blackhawks to find any rhythm on offense.

Sunnyside held the Cheney girls to two third-quarter points and held off a late charge for a 43-38 victory that avenged a five-point, first-round loss at Cheney last season.

The top-seeded West Valley boys and Colville girls had a bye Tuesday and open at home Thursday. WV (19-2) plays Eastmont (16-7), a 58-46 winner over Hanford on Tuesday. Colville (15-6) also meets Eastmont (20-3), which defeated Ellensburg 45-37.

The Sunnyside girls and Ellensburg boys both play at West Valley-Yakima on Thursday. The WV-Yakima boys are 17-4 and the girls are 20-2. State qualifying games are Friday and Saturday at Eastern Washington University.

Ellensburg 53, Cheney 49

Cheney coach Denny Humphrey can’t remember a time this team has stayed flat for such a long stretch.

“I don’t have an answer why we came out so flat,” he said. “I don’t think it was from being scared but that might have been part of it.”

Cheney shot 16 of 45 for the game, including 2 of 10 in the second quarter.

Trailing 50-49 in the final minute, the Blackhawks missed three shots , and the Bulldogs made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 34.6.

Ellensburg has won a number of close games recently, said senior Nate Standish, who scored seven of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter and also had five rebounds.

“We’re used to it,” he said. “We’re all pretty smart and know what to do.”

The Blackhawks should have known to go more to post Ben Woodard, said junior Ryan Harris, who made three 3-pointers for 13 points. Woodard had 10 of his teamleading 15 points in the first half.

Ellensburg 14 12 14 13 - 53

Cheney 14 9 13 13 - 49

Ellensburg (17-7) - Standish 7 3-4 18, Fuqua 4 5-7 13, Sorenson 0 0-0 0, Brown 3 0-0 6, Malde 1 0-0 2, Majsterek 3 6-10 12, Scott 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 14-21 53.

Cheney (18-5) - Humphrey 2 0-0 5, Larson 2 0-0 5, Harris 4 2-2 13, Volk 2 2-2 6, Mount 1 1-2 3, Woodard 5 5-7 15, Laughlin 1 0-2 2, Marsh 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 10-15 49.

3-point goals - Standish, Humphrey, Larson, Harris 3. Total fouls - Ellensburg 15, Cheney 18. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

Sunnyside 43, Cheney 38

The hot hand of senior Lani McLauchlin brought Cheney back into the game but she was called for traveling in the final minute and missed a tying 3-pointer with 5 seconds left.

McLauchlin had made three straight 3s earlier in the fourth quarter on the way to nine points.

Cheney needed her scoring because sophomore Julie Marsh was limited to three first-quarter points after connecting for 26 in Saturday’s district title loss to Colville.

In the third quarter Tuesday, the teams combined for 15 turnovers, 15 fouls and 3-for-21 shooting. Cheney was 0 for 9.

“Our kids didn’t play as smart as they needed to in a game like this,” said Blackhawks coach Marty Jessett.

Sunnyside 15 5 9 14 - 43

Cheney 9 14 2 13 - 38

Sunnyside (13-11) - Sabedra 6 0-0 15, Hoctor 0 0-0 0, Syverson 1 3-4 5, A. Hernandez 0 0-0 0, Gadley 0 4-4 4, Visser 0 0-0 0, J. Hernandez 0 0-0 0, Marquez 0 2-2 2, Startup 3 1-7 7, Dahlstrom 5 0-0 10. Totals 15 10-17 43.

Cheney (9-14) - Conrath 5 1-4 11, Anderson 0 2-2 2, Brannan 0 0-0 0, McLauchlin 3 0-2 9, Regnier 0 0-0 0, Callahan 2 4-6 8, Marsh 1 1-2 3, Oyolokor 1 3-4 5. Totals 12 11-20 38.

3-point goals - Sabedra 3, McLauchlin 3. Total fouls - Sunnyside 21, Cheney 21. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.