CHEHALIS— Reigning state champion Morton/White Pass made life in the fast lane a bit too rapid for Ocosta’s liking.
Taking command following a tightly fought first quarter, the unbeaten Timberwolves emphatically ended the Wildcats’ historic season, 86-37, in the regional 2B portion of the Hardwood Classic boys basketball tournament Saturday morning, Feb. 28, at Chehalis High School.
Morton/White Pass (25-0) will open defense of its state 2B title Thursday at Spokane. Making their first post-district appearance since their 1971 state Class A championship season, the Wildcats closed up shop at 18-9.
The Timberwolves missed their first six free throws (neither team, in fact, connected from the foul line until midway through the third quarter). Otherwise, there were few chinks in their armor.
Moving the ball superbly for weakside and back-door layins, MWP shot 53 percent from the field, despite a lukewarm performance from middle and long range. Their rapidly shifting defense gave the Wildcats fits all morning.
The Timberwolves also displayed a multitude of weapons, with four players scoring in double figures.
Senior forward Caleb Tackett was Ocosta’s lone double-digit scorer with 12 points.
Reversing their district trend, the Wildcats shot very well at the outset and held their own rebounding for much of the contest. But they failed to protect the ball well enough against MWP’s quick-handed defenders, committing 27 turnovers. Morton/White Pass enjoyed an enormous 47-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
Ocosta’s pressure defense, meanwhile, had little impact on the athletic T-Wolves, who were repeatedly a step ahead of the Westporters in transition.
“I think the physicality of the game got to us a little bit,” Ocosta coach Jason Quinby said. “Let’s face it, we got beat by a more athletic and physical team than us. When we were aggressive, we did well. Then we got stagnant and starting dribbling east and west instead of north and south and that’s when we got in trouble.”
The Wildcats did remain competitive far longer than the score indicated. Outscoring Ocosta 23-2 in the fourth quarter, Morton/White Pass didn’t implement the 40-point running-clock mercy rule until the game’s final two minutes.
For one quarter, in fact, Ocosta’s hopes of a monumental upset were very much alive.
Making a succession of tough shots, the Wildcats matched the T-Wolves basket for basket in the opening stanza. They owned a 10-8 lead when Tackett put down an off-balance one-hander with 3:30 remaining in the period and trailed only 14-12 at the first break.
Walton scored nine points in the second quarter to stake the Timberwolves to a 38-22 halftime lead. But, after Poquette opened the second half with a basket, Tackett nailed a 3-point jumper, Kyle Bambauer scored off a steal and Dan Sobrera drove from half-court for a layin that narrowed the deficit to 40-29 at the 6:34 mark of the third quarter. That prompted MWP coach Tony Gillispie to call time.
It was all Morton/White Pass after play resumed. Taking the ball inside almost at will, the Lewis County club reeled off the next 15 points en route to a 20-2 run that blew it open.
The 5-foot-3 Sobrera concluded his prep career with nine points. Ocosta junior post Connor Pegg down a team-high seven rebounds.
Saturday’s game marked a downbeat conclusion to a landmark Wildcat season that included their first postseason victories since 2001.
Quinby singled out seniors Tackett, Sobrera, Luke Anderson, George Prigmore and Duncan Jones for particular praise.
“In four years, they’ve gone from probably one of the worst 2B teams in the season to one of the top 16,” the Ocosta coach concluded. “I can’t thank them enough their hard work and teamwork that turned the program around.”
Ocosta — Anderson, Tackett 12, Sobrera 9, Bambauer 4, Pegg 4, Juarez 3, Allton 5, Samuelson, Prigmore, Jones, Mitby. FG — 16-51 (.314). FT — 1-5.
