Spartans big hoop year hits tough finish

Rosalia’s boys made a terrific run through the regular season, racking up a 22-0 record and claiming the district title. The boys last week at Endicott collected the trophy for topping SE 1B action.

Running through a perfect season and carrying the top state ranking into last week’s 1B tournament at Yakima, Rosalia’s boys had a colossal bullseye on them.

Teams lined up their scopes and came with full supplies of ammunition to take down the 22-0 favorites, and sent the Spartans home without a trophy.

Rosalia posted a first game win over Lopez Wednesday, but the wheels came off in next two games.

They suffered their first defeat of the year in the quarter-final, a 53-63 bow to a Wellpinit team they had scorched on a Nathan Richards buzzer beater at the very start of the season.

The Redskins opened with a big lead; the Spartans slowly chipped away during the third quarter. Down nine late in the period, Rosalia followed senior Jim Maley’s lead to put on a furious charge to tie the game.

But the Spartans wound up putting Wellpinit on the free throw line in the fourth quarter, and the Redskins went on a 14-3 run that put the game out of reach. Kennedy Seyler scored seven of the ‘skins fourth quarter points.

Maley sunk 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Richards, who had to fight through double and triple coverage, finished with eight points and 13 boards.

Almira/Coulee/Hartline the next night followed the clog-the-key defensive strategy to stop the Spartans from getting to trophy day with a 53-44 win Friday.

Despite the Warriors’ rough inside defense, Rosalia still had a chance to advance to Saturday until the last minute.

Rosalia wing Damian Loucks nailed a pair of 3-bombs to give Rosalia a 44-42 lead with two minutes left, but a series of turnovers and fouls led to an 11-0 ACH run that capped the scoring.

Maley finished with another double-double, 12 points and 13 rebounds. Richards also grabbed 13 boards.

The Spartans started the tourney with a bang, holding opening round foe Lopez to 21 percent shooting and pestering the Lobos into 20 turnovers.

The Sparts took control with a 12-4 second frame, then held Lopez to just two points in the third.

Maley paced the scoring with 13; Richards added 11 rebounds and five blocked shots.

FRIDAY

Almira/Coulee/Hartline 53- Rosalia 44: 15/13 11/8 12/12 15/11: Derek Isaak 7 (2-3pt.) 9-10 25, Kody Dillon 5 1-1 11, Cody Jess 3 4-8 10, Thunder Wellhausen 3 0-0 6, Chad Carlquist 0 1-3 1. Rosalia; Jim Maley 5 2-5 12, Damian Loucks 3 (2-3pt.) 0-0 8, Nathan Richards 3 1-4 7, Zach St. John 2 2-2 6, John Kuhn 2 (3pt.) 0-0 5, Scott Eberle 2 0-0 4, Jared Hereford 1 0-0 2.

THURSDAY

Wellpinit 63- Rosalia 53: 19/7 11/15 12/18 21/13: Flett 6 (3-3pt) 5-6 20, Seller 3 (2-3pt) 6-12 14, Wynne 4 (3pt) 2-4 11, Wynecoop 3 3-4 9, Ford 1 5-6 7, Kieffer 0 2-2 2. Rosalia: Maley 8 8-13, 24, St. John 5 1-1 11, Richards3 ((3pt) 1-4 8, Loucks 3 (3pt) 0-2 7, Hereford 1 0-0 2, Kuhn 0 1-2 1.

WEDNESDAY

Rosalia 44- Lopez 23: 10/7 12/4 14/2 8/10: Maley 6 1-4 13, Loucks 3 0-0 6, Kuhn 3 0-0 6, C. Brown 2 (2-3pt) 0-0 6, Richards 2 0-0 4, St. John 2 0-0 4, Eberle 1 0-0 2, Hereford 1 0-0 2, Hodges 0 -14 1. Lopez: Arps 3 1-2 7, Buffum 3 (3pt.) 0-2 7, Carson 1 1-2 3, K. Jardine 1 (3pt) 3, C. Jardine 1 0-0 2, Lopson 0 1-2 1.