NOTE: Playoff stories will be updated as new information is reported. Keep visiting www.whatcomhoops.com for the latest news.
The heavily favored league champion Lynden Christian and King’s boys won their respective Class 1A District 1 semifinal matches at home Wednesday night to move into Saturday’s district title game at Mount Vernon High School.
The defending state champion and Northwest Conference champion Lyncs ran their record to 21-0 with a 77-40 pounding of Cedar Park Christian (Bothell). The victory also secured a spot for the Lyncs in next week’s District 1/2 tournament.
For more pictures from the Nooksack Valley game, check out the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.
All-state guard Cole Bajema had 17 points to break the LC career scoring record of 1,602 points previously held by 2013 grad Isaac Reimer. Cristian Caldwell added 14 points and Andrew DeVries tossed in 11 more as all 12 Lyncs scored. LC turned the game into a rout with a 21-0 third quarter.
King’s, the North Sound League champion, defeated Meridian, 87-49, on Wednesday to improve to 17-4. The Trojans, the NWC’s second seed, fell to 9-13 and now will play South Whidbey in a loser-out game Thursday with the winner also advancing to next week’s bi-district.
Nooksack Valley, the NWC’s third seed, easily topped visiting Sultan, 63-43, in a loser-out contest Wednesday. The victory pushed the Pioneers to 8-13 and into Thursday’s loser-out, winner-advances game against Cedar Park Christian in Bothell. The game time is moved up an hour and will be played before the Nooksack Valley-Cedar Park Christian girls game at 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday’s loss ended Sultan’s season at 6-15.
Lynden Christian 77, Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 40
Cedar Park Christian 13 14 0 13 — 40
Lynden Christian 22 20 21 14 — 77
Cedar Park Christian: Matthew Duffy, Bret Henon 5, Trenton Lynch 9, Luke Allen 8, Davison Drews 6, Ryan Baker 2, Matthew Attalah 4, Jack Allen 2, Will Chi, Cameron English 2, Noah Freeman 2.
Lynden Christian: Bryce Bouwman 2, Tanner Feenstra 2, Brevin Zylstra 2, Jaden DeBoer 3, Zach Sipma 6, Cole Langstraat 4, Shale Whittern 2, Andrew DeVries 11, Cole Bajema 17, Jake Libolt 6, Luke Bos 8, Cristian Colwell 14.
CLASS 1A DISTRICT 1 BOYS TOURNAMENT
First-round games (Wednesday)
Nooksack Valley 63, Sultan 43 (loser out)
South Whidbey 61, Granite Falls 39 (loser out)
Semifinals (Wednesday)
Lynden Christian 77, Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 40
King’s 87, Meridian 49
Second-round games (Thursday)
Nooksack Valley (8-13) at Cedar Park Christian (10-10), 6 p.m. (loser out)
South Whidbey (14-6) at Meridian (9-13), 7 p.m. (loser out)
Consolation Final (Saturday)
Nooksack Valley-Cedar Park Christian winner vs. South Whidbey-Meridian winner at Mount Vernon High School, 2 p.m. (winner third, loser fourth, both advance to bi-district)
Championship final (Saturday)
Lynden Christian (21-0) vs. King’s (17-4) at Mount Vernon High School, 5:30 p.m. (winner first, loser second, both advance to bi-district, winner to state)
(Full schedule and bracket at nwcathletics.com)
Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.
