Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Eagles boys, drive
Vikings boys, Sanderson
St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse freshman point guard Ty Harder takes to the basket Jan.13.
A little CA has been added to the SJEL boys basketball team under first-year coach Mario Adams, who moved to the Palouse from the Bay Area, Calif., three years ago.
Born and raised in Eastbay, Oakland, he graduated from De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., Before coming to the Palouse to work for Schweitzer Engineering as an electrical engineer.
After a year coaching varsity boys at Lake Roosevelt High School in 2015-16, he looked to get closer to Pullman and saw the opening for St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse.
Now the season is underway with a 2-12 overall record so far, 1-7 in the Southeast 1B league.
The team’s two wins were over Waitsburg Jan. 12 and Valley Christian Dec. 21.
Adams’ slate of players in his first year include two seniors in the starting five; forward Griffin Parrish and shooting guard Dustin Fox, alongside freshman point guard Ty Harder, junior small forward Talon Danielson and sophomore big-man-down-low Gavin Parrish.
Harder leads the team in scoring while Griffin Parrish is the leading rebounder.
After a 52-43 home loss to Garfield/Palouse Jan. 13, the team will play next against Prescott Friday at home.
“We’re rebuilding this year,” said Adams. “Doing things the right way. I’m not here to just win basketball games, I’m here to make men out of these boys.”
They teach him a few things too, about life up north.
“I never heard of snow tires, never heard the term,” Adams said, of coming to live here. “Never in my life. I found out I needed them real quick.”
Tip-off Friday in St. John is 7:30 p.m.
Garfield/Palouse 57, Troy 42
Ely Hawkins scored a game-high 26 points while Daniel Orfe added 12 on a non-league trip to Troy, Idaho, Tuesday night. The Vikings shot 23-of-40 for 57.5 percent from the field.
Josh Lay led Troy with 17 points.
Oakesdale 72, Colton 52
A quick 18-6 lead in the first quarter propelled the Nighthawks (11-3, 6-2) to a home win Jan. 12.
Kieron Anderson led Oakesdale with 21 points while Matt Hockett and Jacob Himes both scored 14 and Evan Henning had 10.
Parker Druffel led Colton ( 3-10, 2-5) with 22 points while Reece Chadwick had 18.
Garfield/Palouse 54, Touchet 23
Ely Hawkins’ 18 points and seven rebounds led the Vikings (11-3, 7-1) at home over the Indians. Tanner Anderson added 12 points and Blake Jones scored 10.
Colton 62, Prescott 55
The Colton band could have kicked into a certain number from the Duran Duran songbook Jan. 13 as Matt Wolf, a senior guard, scrounged 25 points with nine rebounds in a home victory.
Prescott’s Jose Gonzales scored 21 points in the game, most in the first quarter, before fouling out. Colton kept up its man-to-man defense and press to lead by one at halftime.
Jon Bean added 10 points and seven rebounds for Colton while Parker Druffel scored 14.
Garfield/Palouse 52, St. John/ Endicott/Lacrosse 43
Vikings sophomore Blake Jones scored 16 points to lead Gar/Pal in a game that got tight in the third quarter. Tanner Anderson added eight points and 10 rebounds on a night that Vikings point guard Austin Jones did not play due to a concussion the night before in a win over Touchet.
Griffin Parrish led St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse with 15 points while Dustin Fox had eight and Gavin Parrish seven.
Garfield/Palouse junior forward Caden Sanderson scores at St. John in a 52-43 win
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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