State 1B boys: Wellpinit ready to defend championship despite rocky regular season

For most of the boys basketball season, Wellpinit never could quite get back to full strength.

At times it was injuries. During others, personal tragedies surrounding players and the community.

But recently, heading into Wednesday’s State 1B Tournament opener at the Arena, Wellpinit is finally coming together – just in time to defend its back-to-back state championships.

“We’ve lost six games, and it was a challenging midseason for us,” coach Billy Flett Sr. said. “I think we’re starting to peak right now.”

Wellpinit (19-6) was seeded ninth and needed to win a play-in game last week to secure a spot in the 12-team bracket that will play out at the Arena. It opens against No. 8 Ocosta (17-8), which is making its first appearance at state since 1971. Ocosta lost to No. 1 seed Almira/Coulee-Hartline (23-1) in a seeding game over the weekend.

Wellpinit lost to ACH in the district playoffs two weeks ago, giving ACH a 2-1 edge in the season series.

“They’re solid,” Flett said of ACH. “(Head coach) Graham Grindy does a great job with that program. They’re well-rounded; they’re fundamentally sound.”

Also in the bracket is No. 12 Garfield-Palouse (18-6), which enters the tournament having won seven of its past eight since a 76-51 loss to ACH on Jan. 21.

For Wellpinit, this season’s challenges extended past the basketball court. Senior Cruz Leyva left the team for a few weeks due to personal illness and the death of 16-year-old Sweeny Holt-Stearns, a close friend and member of the Wellpinit JV team who died in a car crash in January.

“(Levya) took it upon himself to come back, and he’s really stepped up big time the last couple of games,” Flett said.

Wellpinit has four other seniors, led by Franky Wynne, who scored 13 points in the championship game last year, as well as Adam Moyer, Carter Hughes and Jayden Cullooyah, who was at Cusick two years ago when it won a state title.

“He’s really added a lot,” Flett said. “It took him a while to play our style, but he’s starting to pick it up.”

Although Wellpinit comes in playing well, Flett said he recognizes the task ahead: winning four games in four days, compared to the past two years when the team was ranked first or second.

“Our best is going to come out,” Flett said, “because our backs are against the wall.”