Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Gar Pal boys
For nine games, no team got within 40 points.
Then Colton cut it to 31.
Garfield-Palouse ran through the Wildcats for their tenth win of the basketball season Saturday, dispensing with the team that ended their 2013-14 campaign.
This year, playing in a notably different Southeast 1B league, the Vikings haven’t yet found any competition to speak of.
"We know the league is down from years past," said veteran coach Tim Coles. "That doesn’t help. That could hurt us at the end of the year. But I thought St. John was physical, Colton’s a good team but if we can stay healthy, we could win a lot of games."
Gar-Pal is now in the final season for a core group that has started together since they were sophomores – Tyler Thurman, Mitch Jamison and Hunter Woltering. Guard Matt Holbrook, a junior, is a three-year starter as well. Replacing guard Jesse Lopez from last year is senior all-purpose player Gabe Cocking.
"He’s my defensive specialist," Coles said. "I put him on the other team’s best player. I put the two other guys (Thurman and Holbrook) on the two weaker players. They can get more steals that way."
How does this year’s team compare to last year?
"We’re a lot better defensively, a lot quicker," Coles said. "It’s hard to say, because last year the level of talent was distributed widely across the league. But I have a sneaking suspicion we would do well anyway."
The eight wins in a row by 40+ point margins is part of that indication.
"Our team is very talented," Coles said. "They’re just good."
Observers and opponents have to wonder how they compare to the best teams Coles has ever coached at Gar-Pal.
"It’s one of the better ones but you can’t rate them higher than that until you win a state championship," Coles said.
He has won three with the Vikings; 1990, 2000 and 2001.
While Cocking has become the team’s fifth starter, key bench players include junior Wyatt Griner – who comes in to back up Woltering and Jamison in the low post -- while Ian Niebergs and Cole Sanderson substitute in for guards.
"Jamison and Woltering are doing much better than they did last year," Coles said. "They’re really getting the job done."
Team goals for the year include high places.
"They’ve got their eyes on the final game," Coles said.
After last year ended at the district tournament in Colfax – with a loss to Colton for the final slot into the state subtournament – the Vikings’ team regrouped over the summer, playing 20 games in June and July.
Coles once led his players in as many as 60 games during the summer, but came to believe his teams are no better by playing any more than 20.
"I want them to be hungry," he said.
Meanwhile, also during the summer, current players got experience in pickup games at WSU and University of Idaho, looking ahead to one more ride through the gyms of Whitman County and beyond.
Gar-Pal’s loss to Colton to end 2013-2014 came after a season which they led the league most of the way. In the end, the Colfax game may go down in local lore: Dalton Patchen’s early dunk, Jamison’s answer from the free throw line, a shot he never takes, Holbrook’s two blocks of Jake Straughan from behind, Thurman summoned to the bench in early foul trouble, Carter Dahmen hitting the shot from the corner for Colton’s final lead.
"That game hurt," Coles said. "We really wanted to go to state, and we got beat. If Gar-Pal plays well, we don’t lose often. And we played well."
Colton advanced to beat Sunnyside Christian in Yakima – the 2013 state champs – to make the state bracket in Spokane, eventually meeting another league team, Pomeroy, in the title game. Colton won 59-46.
Many Gar-Pal players saw it from the stands.
Coach Coles couldn’t bare to go and watch it.
Now, with the new season in full swing, Coles works out his team for future contests ahead.
"You’ve got to keep your level of performance high and not make mistakes," Coles said. "Some of our free throw shooters are at 50 percent. That’s a problem."
Another element he works them on is the press.
"I’m trying to keep my kids in condition," Coles said. "We want to get 30-40 percent of our points off of steals and fast breaks."
The team is averaging 25 turnovers caused per game, including five each from Thurman and Holbrook.
Next up is Liberty Christian at Richland Friday followed by a home game vs. Pomeroy Saturday.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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