Adversity conquered

When things were at their bleakest, West Valley basketball players discovered the best in themselves.

During a season that saw the unanticipated departure of three players and off-court dramas involving coaches, the Eagles held together, elevated their game and today are making their fourth straight state appearance, in the 2A competition in the Tacoma Dome.

“It’s unbelievable,” said coach Jamie Nilles. “I don’t know what to say. There was a lot of emotion with all that went on and the poetic justice is making it to state.”

The Eagles face tall and once-beaten Port Townsend in the 7 p.m. finale of six games featuring Great Northern League schools.

There were likely times when doubts arose on whether or not they’d be there. One returning regular, Glenn Akers, ran afoul of the law shortly after a summer tournament. Another player didn’t cut it academically.

And then, five games into the season, returning All-GNL and last year’s scoring leader Bryan Peterson, who was averaging 13 points a game, quit.

While displaying empathy for his reasons, fellow seniors and friends Murphy McIntyre, James Cahalan and Parker Flynn said they were surprised by the decision.

“If it’s my senior year, I’d finish it out with my buddies,” McIntyre said.

The loss changed things, particularly for Cahalan and Flynn, who now had to complement scoring leader Jordan Lupfer-Graham (17.7 points per game).

The Eagles’ sixth man, Cahalan became a starter. A 7.5 points per game scorer off the bench, the 3-point shooter averaged 12.4 the rest of the way as a regular. His game became more well-rounded as a result, he said.

“The coaches called me that night and let me know they had confidence that I could do it,” Cahalan said. “I would do whatever I had to to get a win, but I like this a lot better now.”

Flynn, WV’s point guard, had never considered himself a scorer in the past. He said coaches told him he wasn’t scoring as much as he should and went from 8 ppg through five games to averaging 12.1 over the final 18.

“The coaches said, ‘We’re going to make you the best player you can be and get the most out of your talent.’ Now I’m taking it to the rack more,” he said. “It surprised me that the whole time I could have been doing that. I wasn’t as aggressive as I could have been.”

McIntyre, who calls himself the vocal leader on the team, became vital defending the post in Akers’ absence.

“I’ll shoot the 3, other than that I’m not too much of an offensive threat,” he said. “Defense is my game.”

The seniors met with the team, saying they had faith in the younger players and that they could win the league. Still, the Eagles had to battle to finish fourth in the GNL because of some narrow losses. They would have to beat either league champion Pullman or fellow state qualifiers Clarkston or Cheney to reach state. The game against Pullman a week ago on the road proved decisive.

WV overcame a first-half injury to Lupfer-Graham and won by 20 points to qualify for state. Flynn, Cahalan and Lupfer-Graham split up 60 of the 70 points.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Nilles said. “The kids were rock stars down there. We had a bigger crowd than they did and they came out of the locker room (following the win) to a standing ovation.”

Flynn and Cahalan were members of their first state-qualifying team as sophomores and played again at state last year.

“I didn’t want to be a senior and not go to state,” said Flynn. “It wouldn’t have felt like a basketball season if we hadn’t gone.”