ACH highlights final games of opening session

It has been a lackluster first three games of the girls’ State 1B tournament. three blowouts have included the two worst scoring performances in tournament history. Looking to make it four straight are the high-flying Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors in their game against the Selkirk Rangers of the Panorama League.

In the final State 2B boys game, the Bear Creek Grizzlies wil face off against Waitsburg-Prescott, with the winner advancing to play Napavine. After two games in which the opponents were separated by a combined three points, Lake Roosevelt laid a clunker against the Napavine Tigers, becoming the first team to get blown out in the 2B bracket.

BEAR CREEK VS. WAITSBURG-PRESCOTT

Bear Creek 18, Waitsburg-Prescott 10 through one quarter

Bear Creek 27, Waitsburg-Prescott 21 halftime

The Grizzlies have led by as many as 10 in the second, and coast into the half with a six-point advantage over the Cardinals.

Bear Creek 37, Waitsburg-Prescott 37 through three quarters

Zach Bartlow accounted for six of the Cardinals’ 16 third-quarter points and now leads the team with nine points for the game. The 16 points by WP was enough to pull them even with Bear Creek, who has nine points from Erik Domas. Despite tying the score on several occasions in the third, the Cardinals still have not led in the contest.

A bucket by Bartlow to start the fourth gives the Cardinals their first lead with seven minutes remaining in the game.

Bear Creek ties it with a basket by Domas. With a chance to take the lead, though, BC turns the ball over on consecutive possessions. Ryan Strandin finally pushes the Bears in font 43-41, but the lead is short-lived when WPs Dustin Wooderchak buries a 3-pointer to give the Cardinals a one-point lead with 2:32 left.

The Grizzlies get the lead back with two free throws by Gabe Rongve, but once again the Cardinals answer with a 3-pointer, this time by Bartlow, who now has 14 points.  The Grizzlies have the ball with 45 seconds left.

Strandin scores with 37 seconds to tie the game and Bartlow’s answer is blocked, forcing overtime.

Bear Creek 47, Waitsburg-Prescott 47 through four quarters

Bartlow has 14 points and Domas has 11 to lead their respective squads into the four-minute overtime.

The Grizzlies score the first six points of overtime to take a 53-47 lead with 34.7 seconds left. Kris Cady fouls out with five points for the Cardinals.

Bear Creek 58, Waitsburg-Prescott 47 final/ot

ALMIRA/COULEE-HARTLINE VS. SELKIRK

ACH 14, Selkirk 4 through one quarter

Nikki Osborne and Madeline Isaak led the way through a solid first quarter for the Warriors against the Rangers. ACH is well on its’ way, opening the second quarter on a 17-4 run.

ACH 34, Selkirk 10 halftime

The Warriors close the half with a dominant 20-6 edge in the second quarter. The tournament may just have to wait until tomorrow’s semifinals to get a game to finish closer than 30 points.

ACH halftime leaders

Nikki Osborne 15 points 5 rebounds

Sarah Gloyn 14 points

Selkirk halftime leaders

Katie Couch 4 points

Annemarie Cain 5 rebounds

ACH 54, Selkirk 19 through three quarters

Another 20-point quarter by the Warriors has all but sealed the fate of the Rangers.

They may not win, but the Rangers have not quit in this fourth quarter, scoring nine points to keep pace with the Warriors in the final frame.

ACH 66, Selkirk 29 final