Jacks are back

Quincy wins second straight game, head into state semifinals

YAKIMA — Quincy has started to make winning a team effort at the state tournament.

The Jacks got their usual points from Matt Medina, who finished with 15, and a little help from Chris Pontarolo-Maag, who added 15 of his own, but the bench's four points were what Quincy needed to pull off a 46-40 win over Steilacoom on Thursday in the second round of the state 2A basketball tournament.

"Our bench played great in the second quarter when we got into foul trouble and gave us some real help," head coach Wade Petersen, after having to sit his entire starting lineup, who had two fouls each by the second quarter.

While Pontarolo-Maag scored four of the eight second-quarter points, role players like Charlie Cedergreen, Scott Yeates, Gabe Lopez, Raymond Evenson and Dustin Petersen were given the role to hold the Sentinels in check while the Quincy starters sat the bench due to foul trouble.

"I was nervous, I was hoping we wouldn't lose our lead at all," Pontarolo-Maag added about the second-quarter incident. "It is pretty hard to have all your starters sitting on the bench with two fouls."

During the run with the starters on the bench, Quincy allowed only one field goal and headed into halftime with an 18-16 lead.

Then in the third quarter, Medina made good of a Pontarolo-Maag pass and drilled a 3-pointer to put the Jacks up 21-16. Colby Davies, who scored 16 points for Steilacoom, kept the Sentinels close after driving baseline for a basket. Ryan Mann soon cut the lead to 25-23 with a basket and foul, but the Jacks responded with Pontarolo-Maag scoring two straight baskets off offensive rebounds.

"I got some good bounces and good tips from Smokey," Pontarolo-Maag said after scoring twice on missed shots.

Chris Dew caught fire from the 3-point line in the fourth, nailing a shot to open the quarter to cut the lead to 33-31, then tied the game at 34-34 with another 3-pointer. Davies retied the game at 40-40 for the Sentinels, but Quincy shut the door with 6 out of 8 free throws made in the final 2:35.

The Jacks face Grandview today at 9 p.m. after the Greyhounds escaped with a 42-41 win over Pullman on Thursday. The two teams met in the district tournament and Grandview pummeled the Jacks with a 73-49 win. From there, Quincy has won three of its last four, including two straight in the state tournament.

"We will have a different strategy against them this time," Petersen said. "They have five solid starters and a good bench and we are going to have our hands full.

"Part of it is going to be mental, our kids have to believe that they can play."