Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Colfax senior forward Blake Holman scores off a steal and assist from John Lustig to open a Bulldogs' lead late in the fourth quarter at University High School in Spokane Feb. 29. Colfax was set to open the state 2B tournament Wednesday.
John Lustig, Blake Holman, Cole Baerlocher and Layne Gingerich walk off with the Bulldogs after their regional win at University High School in Spokane.
Blake Holman broke it open.
Like a package with one piece of tape holding it closed, the senior forward nicked it loose with two fourth quarter fast breaks after John Lustig and Hunter Classen had already cut at it in a 69-58 win over no. 16-seed Oroville at University High School in Spokane.
On Feb. 29, it started with slippery Lustig and Claassen and a 14-4 lead but Oroville soon got in the game. After a Lustig travel call and carry back-to-back, it was 16-15 at the end of the first quarter.
Back on the floor, two Lustig passes to Claassen for scores mixed with missed lay-ups from Claassen and Cole Baerlocher. The Bulldogs' lead stayed at a point, 30-29 at halftime.
Into the third quarter, Oroville took the lead, then Noah Hilderbrand scored to push it to six points in the elimination game.
Lustig took the ball at the point, considered, drove and scored, 42-46.
Then Cotton Booker to Baerlocher for a foul on the shot. He made both, tying it 48-48.
Oroville answered, two free throws and a corner shot by Carson Allie for 53-48.
Lustig pushed it at the other end, taking the ball up for a six-footer, whistle! Foul? Traveling.
Then Holman stole an Oroville ball, jumping the passing lane on the outer ring and bolted for the basket, all alone, 52-53. Then another Colfax steal by Lustig, the ball sent to Holman breaking free again, 54-53 Colfax.
A minute later, Holman followed a miss underneath for a five-point Colfax lead with 3:01 left in the game.
Oroville answered, then Lustig solo for 60-56, then Claassen found Holman underneath again, 62-56, 1:12 remaining.
Gavin Hammer delivered two free throws to keep the Bulldogs up by six. It was enough and no. 9-seed Colfax advanced to state at Spokane Arena beginning Wednesday. They would play no. 8-seed White Swan Wednesday at 9 p.m. in an elimination game.
Lustig led Colfax scorers with 21 points against Oroville while Holman had 18 and Claassen 16.
STATE
White Swan comes from Yakima County, with an 18-7 overall record, 11-1 in the EWAC 2B league.
"They're extremely fast, quick, athletic," said Reece Jenkin, Colfax coach. "They don't have a whole lot of size, and we don't either."
The winner would advance to meet no. 2-seed St. George's on Thursday. At that point the state tournament becomes double-elimination.
None of the players on this year's Colfax team have played at state.
"Our seniors will get to end their career at Spokane Arena," Jenkin said.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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