Othello falls in heartbreaker
Gabe Cantu goes up for a jump shot against Toppenish Tuesday.<br>Pam Robel/Columbia Basin Herald
Huskies play strong in loss
OTHELLO — The Huskies kept the game close through the third quarter Tuesday but were not able to recover from an 8-0 scoring drive in the fourth and lost 52-41.
"We played as solid as we've played all year," said head coach Mike Somnis. "I know exactly what happened. Our goal was to stop Mario Peters and Juan Ramirez, we didn't do that."
In the first half Othello was getting the bounces and second-chance shots to give them the lead.
J.J. Suarez had the first points for the Huskies, stepping beyond the arc for a 3-ball to put Othello up 3-2.
The Huskies followed up the three with a putback by Brian Robertson.
Suarez drove the lane to maintain the lead for Othello before Rayce Miller was put on the line for two. Miller made one, scoring the final point of the period for the Huskies.
Toppenish hit a jump shot at the buzzer to tie the game at 8.
"We battled and battled but we just couldn't get the shots to go," said Somnis.
Othello survived a second quarter momentum shift that gave Toppenish a 15-12 lead.
Toppenish put Jacob Scott on the line for two, Scott made them both and it was a 1-point ball game.
The Huskies then took the lead when James Valdez found Gabe Cantu for a layup.
Cantu scored the last bucket of the quarter on a mid-range jumpshot to make it 20-17 at the half.
"It was essentially an eight point game (in the fourth quarter)," said Somnis. "James Valdez, J.J. Suarez and Rayce Miller really got it done defensively for us."
Mark Valdez scored the first hoop of the second half to extend Othello's lead to five.
Toppenish then scored five unanswered points to tie the game at 22 and milked the clock for 2 1/2 minutes.
Gavin McKee scored for Othello to give the Huskies a slight edge and had his shot followed by a baseline floater from Robertson on the next trip down court.
Toppenish again earned a steal and the tie. The Wildcats were able to take the lead on the freethrow line with under three minutes left in the period.
Scott earned Othello's only and-1 trip of the night during the third quarter. He was able to earn the bucket but could not get the foul shot to go.
"Our freshman, Jacob Scott, had 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals," Somnis said. "I'm very proud of the game he had. Tonight was his first full game on varsity. I think he's going to be a good player for us."
With the game tied at 28, Cantu made a layup to give the Huskies the lead once again.
In the closing minutes of the period, Othello gave up four points and the lead to Toppenish.
McKee and Cantu combined to score the first three points of the final period hitting a jump shot and 1-for-2 on the foul line respectively.
After Cantu's trip to the line, Othello suffered a scoring drought that lasted nearly three minutes.
Scott had a putback for the Huskies to make it 42-35.
With under a minute to play Othello still had a chance but went 2-for-4 from the line and struggled with earning second-chance opportunities.
"We're not the best shooting team," said Somnis.
Othello plays Hanford on the road tonight.
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