The Lummi Nation boys basketball team played another top team but once again couldn’t come away with a victory.
The Blackhawks took No.1-ranked Almira-Coulee-Hartline down to the wire before losing, 52-44, in the Class 1B state quarterfinals on Thursday, March 3, in the Spokane Arena.
The loss drops seventh-seed Lummi Nation (16-4) into the consolation bracket where it will play fourth-seed Willapa Valley on Friday at 9 a.m. A victory would guarantee the Blackhawks a top-six trophy on Saturday, but a loss would end their season.
Be sure to visit WhatcomHoops.com for stories and photos from the other state games.
In the last two-plus weeks, the Blackhawks have faced the top-ranked Warriors and lost by eight, No.2 Cusick in the state regionals and lost by six, and No.3 Northwest Yeshiva in the tri-district semifinals and again lost by six. All three of those teams are in Friday’s state semifinals.
Against Almira-Coulee-Hartline, eighth-grader Jerome Toby Jr. again led the Blackhawks in scoring with 15 points. Senior Tyran Lane added 11 points and a team-high 8 rebounds, sophomore Tobias Francis had 8 points, and junior Richard Wilson had 7 rebounds.
Lummi Nation was only down by one at half, but got cold in the third quarter and only managed seven points as the Warriors went up by 10. With the Blackhawks going four of 20 from the 3-point line, a comeback was not to be.
The biggest difference was at the foul line, where Lummi Nation was called for 19 fouls to ACH’s 11, and the Warriors shot 13 more free throws, making eight more than the Blackhawks to account for the final margin.
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 52, Lummi Nation 44
Lummi Nation 5 17 7 15—44
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 6 17 17 12—52
Lummi Nation: Jerome Toby 15, Tobias Francis 8, Duncan Toby 4, Desmond Bailey, Richard Wilson, Tony Abrams 4, Tyran Lane 11, Mathias Johnson 2, Adam Bello, James Williams, Frank Solomon, Peyton Brockie.
Almira-Coulee-Hartline: Carter Pitts, Dane Isaak 2, Parker Roberts 5, Reece Isaak 22, Jim Holcomb, Grady Murray 14, Cooper Correia 9.
Class 1B state tournament
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
Northwest Yeshiva 60, Naselle 48 (loser out)
Lummi Nation 69, Mount Vernon Christian 27 (loser out)
Sunnyside Christian 59, Crosspoint 49 (loser out)
DeSales 75, Wellpinit 53 (loser out)
THURSDAY, MARCH 3
Northwest Yeshiva 50, Willapa Valley 40
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 52, Lummi Nation 44
Sunnyside Christian 39, Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian 36
Cusick (20-1) vs. DeSales (20-5), 2 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
Lummi Nation (16-4) vs. Willapa Valley (20-4), 9 a.m. (loser out)
Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian (22-3) vs. DeSales (20-6), 10:30 a.m. (loser out)
Almira-Coulee-Hartline (19-3) vs. Northwest Yeshiva (18-3), 2 p.m.
Sunnyside Christian (19-6) vs. Cusick (21-1), 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5
Consolation game, 8 a.m. (winner fourth, loser sixth)
Consolation final, 11:15 a.m. (winner third, loser fifth)
Championship final, 7 p.m. (winner first, loser second)
