The Lummi Nation boys basketball team knew it was in for a physical Class 1B state regional against Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian since the teams’ last two matchups were bruising heavyweight bouts.
And the Blackhawks were ready for round three as they played tough defense in the final quarter to hold off the Cougars, 48-43, on Friday, Feb. 28, at Mount Vernon High School.
Lummi Nation now advances to Thursday’s state quarterfinals in Spokane for a 9 p.m. game. The second-seeded Blackhawks will play the winner of a Wednesday loser-out game pitting Ocosta and the winner of Saturday’s Sound Christian-Wellpinit regional game.
“We’ll continue to get ready,” said Lummi Nation coach Jerome Toby Sr., whose team improved to 23-3. “It doesn’t get any easier.”
It sure wasn’t easy Friday. Despite its lower seeding — a surprising seventh considering Moses Lake Christian came into the game 19-2 — the Cougars were as tough as their namesake. And the Blackhawks knew it since the two schools had played in two of the past three state tournaments, each winning a physical, defensive game.
“They’re district champs and league champs, and they brought that effort and energy to the game,” said Toby. “And we needed to match that. I was proud of our boys to grind it out for 32 minute. It’s always down to the wire with them.”
It was again Friday. Lummi Nation took control early and led by eight at the half. But after scoring only 17 points in the first half, Moses Lake Christian got its offense going in the third quarter, scoring 18 points, and taking the lead for the first time with a minute left in the period, 35-34.
Which is when the Blackhawks, who are more known for a wide-open, run-and-gun style of basketball, hunkered down and played physical halfcourt defense. Over the next seven minutes, Lummi Nation only gave up four points.
And while the Lummi offense never got untracked — the Blackhawks only had three 3-pointers in the game and none in the second half — they managed 12 points in the final period to take back the lead and the game.
Moses Lake Christian managed to close within three points twice in the final 1:10 but a drive by sophomore Dyson Edwards and two free throws by junior Jerome Toby Jr. iced the game.
Not surprising, it was the Lummi Nation seniors who provided the mental and physical toughness the Blackhawks needed.
Trevon Lee had 10 points inside when the Blackhawks’ outside shooting proved ineffective. And Tony Abrams and Karson Revey, who have battled injuries throughout their careers, came off the bench to give Lummi Nation a spark on offense and defense.
“Our seniors showed up,” said coach Toby, praising each of the team’s five seniors for their part in the victory. “This group has seen a lot of success, and tonight it showed.”
The seniors, in turn, were happy to do their part.
“It was a dogfight last time (with the Cougars),” said Abrams, who also had 10 points. “We knew it would be tough. It was fun.”
“We knew it would be a tough game and it was really a defensive game,” said Lee. “Defense is what won the game for us.”
Edwards added 8 points and Toby had 7 points, but the 48 points were still the second-lowest point total of the season for the Blackhawks, who had scored more than 75 points eight times.
“It wasn’t a pretty offensive game, so we had to fall back on our defense,” said coach Toby. “We had to find a different way to win.”
They did it by holding Moses Lake Christian to its second-lowest point total of the season. More importantly, the Blackhawks got the victory and are headed to the Spokane Arena on a winning note.
“It’s going to be great,” said Abrams.
Lee agreed: “It’s exciting. We’re going to make great memories.”
Moses Lake Christian also moves on to Spokane but will play a loser-out game on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of Saturday’s Riverside Christian-Muckleshoot Tribal regional.
On Thursday, the Northwest 1B League handed out its end-of-the-season honors. Toby was named the NW1B player of the year, Edwards was named to the first team, and sophomores Deandre James and Landon LaFontaine were named to the second team. Lummi also earned the league’s sportsmanship award.
Lummi Nation 48, Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian 43
Moses Lake Christian 10 7 18 8—43
Lummi Nation 17 8 11 12—48
Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian: Levi North, Treyson Kast, James Robertson 13, Max Gulenko 2, Johnathan Ferguson 14, Roman Gulenko 6, Dennis Gulenko 8.
Lummi Nation: Jerome Toby Jr. 7, Landon LaFontaine 5, Dyson Edwards 8, Tony Abrams 10, RayShawn Bob, Trevon Lee 10, Karson Revey 4, Deandre James 4.
CLASS 1B BOYS STATE REGIONALS
Tuesday, Feb. 25
#17 Sound Christian 61, #16 Columbia Adventist 50 (loser out)
#18 Riverside Christian 78, #15 Inchelium 71 (loser out)
#14 Summit Classical Christian 65, #19 Wilbur-Creston-Keller 49 (loser out)
#13 Sunnyside Christian 59, #20 Waterville-Mansfield 36 (loser out)
Friday, Feb. 28
#2 Lummi Nation 48, #7 Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian 43 (both to state tournament)
Summit Classical Christian 55, #11 Wahkiakum 49 (winner to state tournament, loser out)
#12 Garfield-Palouse 61, Sunnyside Christian 48 (winner to state tournament, loser out)
#1 Almira-Coulee-Hartline 69, #8 Ocosta 34 (both to state tournament)
#4 DeSales 64, #5 Neah Bay 52 (both to state tournament)
#3 Willapa Valley 59, #6 Tulalip Heritage 52 (both to state tournament)
Saturday, March 1
Riverside Christian (15-10) vs. #10 Muckleshoot Tribal (18-5) at Auburn Mountainview HS, 4 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Sound Christian (20-6) vs. #9 Wellpinit (18-6) at West Valley (Spokane), 8 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
