Rams topple NC in two overtimes

North Central took its share of lumps in the 4A-dominated Greater Spokane League this season.

The semifinals of the boys Eastern Regional 3A basketball tournament didn’t provide any less heartache.

NC will have to recover in a hurry from Thursday night’s 66-56 double-overtime loss at home against West Valley (Yakima).

The Indians travel to Richland today to meet Kennewick in an 8:30 p.m. loser-out game.

WV scored the first nine points of the second overtime and NC (6-17) couldn’t overcome the Rams’ 20-for-28 shooting from the free-throw line in the second extra session.

Against Eastmont on Tuesday, the Rams (15-9) made 27 of 28 free throws.

“If we make a few more shots in the first half, we may have the lead instead of having to come from behind,” Indians coach Jay Webber said. “They’re a very good free-throw shooting team and a tough one to play from behind.”

The Indians mustered only eight first-half points – including two of the teams’ combined three points in the second quarter – but trailed only 11-8 at halftime. NC endured nearly a 16-minute stretch without a field goal that lasted until the middle of the third quarter.

The Rams couldn’t do much better early on, failing to net a shot from the floor for almost 12 minutes.

Both teams generated some offense in the second half, and WV led 37-31 with just more than 3 minutes left in the game.

The Rams wilted against NC’s full-court press in the waning minutes, however, and guard Boone Plager had a chance to give NC a lead with two free throws with 6 seconds left.

He made 1 of 2, though, and the teams were tied at 39 at the end of regulation.

The teams then reverted back to their early form and scored three points apiece in the first overtime.

NC, which advanced to the regional semis with victories over GSL rivals East Valley and Mt. Spokane, must win twice in the next two days to advance to state. Nick Rijon, who led the Indians with 23 points, said his teammates learned plenty about mental toughness in the GSL, and he expects to apply that knowledge this weekend.

“There were times we were hanging our heads at the beginning of games,” Rijon said. “But we fought through it, and by the end of the season we were playing with everyone in every game until the end. We learned from that.”

Tim Wagar led WV with 15 points.

Brad Cherry and Evan Berndt added 12 apiece.