It was a long road — in so many ways — for the Nooksack Valley boys basketball team, but it was all worth it on Friday night, Feb. 27, when the Pioneers ignored their 16th seed and upset ninth-seeded Fort Vancouver, 54-45, in the Class 1A state regionals at Camas High School.
With the victory in the loser-out contest, Nooksack Valley will move on to the state tournament in the Yakima Valley SunDome, where it will play in the round of 12 on Wednesday at 2 p.m. The Pioneers will take on the loser of Saturday’s game between No.1 Zillah and No.8 Seattle Christian.
“This means a lot,” said Nooksack Valley coach Jason Heutink. “I was proud to be coaching tonight … to look in the stands and see people who drove all the way down here to support us … how much they wanted it and were excited for us.”
Why did it mean so much? Well, because these Pioneers had to indeed travel the long road — both literally and figuratively — to achieve what few outside the Valley thought possible.
For coverage of all of our Whatcom teams’ regional games, click on State Regionals.
First, they had to reach the state playoffs, something Nooksack Valley hadn’t done since 2011. After coming oh-so-close the past two years, they finally ended the 15-year drought.
Then Nooksack had to survive a rugged Northwest Conference and non-league schedule that left the Pioneers as the only team in the tournament with a losing record and the 16th and final seed.
Finally, they had to travel 279 miles south to face a Fort Vancouver team that won its league and district, was playing basically a home game, riding a 15-game winning streak, and was probably pretty upset at being a ninth seed with its sparkling 20-3 record.
Make that 20-4.
Watch for the Whatcom Hoops state preview on Sunday. For a look at each of our teams and tournament schedules, click on State Preview.
Nooksack Valley, which raised its record to 11-14, used its athletic defense to slow down the Trappers and used its balanced scoring to take control in the second half and hold off Fort Vancouver.
“I was pretty happy with the way we played,” said Heutink. “Our game plan was on point, and the boys did a good job executing.”
The Pioneers not only held Fort Vancouver to its second lowest point total of the season — and this was a team that had scored more than 80 points 10 times — but they limited the Trappers’ top two scorers to 15 points total or about half their average.
Meanwhile, Nooksack used its offense-by-committee to break away from a 25-25 tie at halftime and go up by 10 early in the fourth quarter.
Once again, it was the seniors starters who led the way. Jayden Anderson had the hot hand with a game-high 16 points, including both of Nooksack’s 3-pointers. Owen Wichers finished with 14 points, Crew Bauman had 8 points, and Cole Coppinger had 6 points. Junior Dane Ackerman added 5 points.
“It was pretty much a team effort,” said Heutink. “That’s the only way we win.”
While it wasn’t easy suffering through a rollercoaster season, finally erasing 15 years of playoff disappointment, and then still being snubbed by the seeding committee, Heutink wasn’t letting his team feel sorry for itself.
“You can play the pity me card, or you can say, ‘Hey, let’s surprise some people,’” he said. “We play in a tough league, and it’s not fun trying to get out of our district. But it certainly helped us.”
And now the Pioneers get to continue their magical ride all the way to Yakima.
Nooksack Valley 54, Fort Vancouver 45
Nooksack Valley 13 12 16 13—54
Fort Vancouver 10 15 12 8—45
Nooksack Valley: Coppinger 6, Bauman 8, J. Anderson 16, Wichers 14, Leyerly 3, Martin, Silves 2, Ackerman 5.
Fort Vancouver: Masamy 5, A. Salazar, Livengood 8, Ifenuk, Smith-Myles, Howard 8, Moriarty 1, Barajas 11, Koval 3, Starks IV 2, Appelt 7.
CLASS 1A BOYS STATE REGIONALS
Friday, Feb. 27
Nooksack Valley 54, Fort Vancouver 45 (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Cascade Christian 60, King’s Way Christian 57 (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Wapato 63, Montesano 38 (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Saturday, Feb. 28
King’s 48, Royal 47 (both to state tournament)
Overlake 64, Elma 56 (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Lynden Christian 84, Chelan 63 (both to state tournament)
Zillah 64, Seattle Christian 55 (both to state tournament)
Annie Wright 47, Bear Creek 41 (both to state tournament)
