Scooter Chapman

The long high school basketball season came to an end Saturday with champions crowned in every division.

 

According to figures I gleaned from various sources, attendance was up in Tacoma and in Yakima and the B schools enjoyed good crowds in Spokane.

 

Have the 16-team regionals and the three-day, eight-team final tournament these past two years been a success? One would have to say, yes.

Rider girls
The Port Angeles girls went to the final eight for the first time and gave a good account of themselves, losing an overtime 46-43 game to Lynden, then bowing to Burlington-Edison 47-34 in the second game.

Lynden lost to Clarkston 59-36, then lost to White River, 56-46 to take fifth.

 

B-E went on to take fourth, beating WF West, 44-33. Clarkston won the title, stopping East Valley of Yakima, 53-41. Only one West Central District entry placed, White River getting third.

 

Many thought the Rider girls were in over their heads, but they proved they could stay with the top teams in the state and with eight returning for next season, coach Mike Poindexter has a real gleam in his eyes.

 

With five or six perimeter shooters, the coach hopes to develop Bailee Jones and Brittany Norberg as inside post threats and that would make the Riders very formidable next year and those returnees want another crack at the SunDome court.

 

Look for the Olympic League to be well balanced next year, as Sequim, Olympic, Kingston and Bremerton have some key returnees.

Kingston boys

The Buccaneers of coach Blake Conley finished third in the state for the second straight year, beating Lindbergh on Saturday, 57-46, but they will be looking at the scorebook and saying, “What if … ”

 

After a 67-62 win over Anacortes, the Kingston boys went against the Lynden Lions, coached by former Sequim mentor Brian Roper. Kingston made the first three points, then Lynden ran off 24 points to take a 39-8 halftime lead.

 

Kingston could not buy a lay-in, a rebound tip or a three-point shot in the first half. The final was 65-39. It was noted that of Lynden’s 12 players, 11 played on the 2A state championship football team and they doubled up, taking the hoop crown as well in a 66-45 victory over White River.

 

The WCD had four placers: Kingston, White River, Lindberg and Clover Park.

Tourney tidbits

Yakima puts on a great tournament. All the workers I encountered were very friendly and eager to help. All looked and acted like they wanted the 31 teams there.

 

You can’t miss the Ellensburg coach. Pat Fitterer wears a pink shirt and color-coordinated tie. His players wear pink shoes with initials KF on them, the team’s way of paying tribute to Pat’s wife Kathy, who succumbed to cancer last summer. He won his 700th career game in the regionals.

 

North Olympic officials Randy Rooney and John Hayden took their turns on the court and did a great job.

 

Here’s one for you: Both boys and girls teams from Lynden and Lynden Christian made it to state, all four stayed at the same hotel within walking distance of Bob’s Burgers and Brew. Bob’s is a small chain that originated in Lynden and is owned by a Lynden grad in Yakima.

Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.