Shot at districts on line for SJEL

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Feb 06, 20200

With two league games left, if the St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse boys basketball team beats Touchet Saturday, they will advance to a neutral-site playoff game against Pomeroy, to decide the fourth and final spot in the district tournament.

Game time Saturday in St. John is 6:30 p.m.

SJEL first plays at Oakesdale Friday and Pomeroy plays at Palouse. The fourth-place playoff picture could change with an upset in either game, though it is not expected.

Last week, St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse lost at non-league Lind/Ritzville/Sprague, followed by a win over Colton and a loss at Prescott.

“I hoped it would be a little better, but it was what it was,” said SJEL Coach Mike Stubbs.

The team lost to Lind/Ritzville/Sprague 79-35, then returned home for senior night Jan. 31 against Colton, marking the final home game for Owen Swannack, T.J. Harder and Dylan Campbell.

SJEL won 69-50.

“It was a fight through three quarters,” said Stubbs. “We won, but we didn’t get there easily.”

Five players scored in double figures, led by Ty Harder with 13, T.J. Harder, Owen Swannack and Kameron Greenhalgh 12 and Doug Stach 10.

“I was very pleased in our effort to get multiple players involved in the offense, how we shared the ball,” Stubbs said.

Kian Ankerson led Colton in the loss with 21 points. Chris Wolf and Jackson Meyer both scored 13. Colton had just six players suited up to play.

The next night, St. John/Endicott/LaCrosse went to Prescott, with its reputation as the hardest place to play in the Southeast 1B, and went down 58-47.

Greenhalgh led the Eagles with 10 points. Jonathan Cardenas scored 26 for the Tigers.