ACH state title bid ends

YAKIMA — They are young, talented, and hungry.

Unfortunately for the Almira/Coulee-Hartline girls basketball team their appetite for its first ever state title remains unfulfilled.

The Lady Warriors’ strong, if not at times, bumpy, run to the Class 1B state championship game ended with with a resounding 64-34 loss to defending state champs Colton (25-1) in the final on Saturday night.

“It was disappointing to come up short when you have the opportunity,” ACH coach Ben Addink said. “The important thing is to focus on the positives this year. In the previous four games we beat the number three, four, five, and six ranked teams, so we had the ultimate gauntlet. The girls left everything else on the court and had nothing else left in the gas tank.”

ACH (23-4) advanced to the finals despite having a rough overall shooting stretch over their four games which was bailed out by clutch defensive play.

“Without a doubt our offense struggled and I think it goes back to the amount of time we used our starters to get there,” Addink said. “We are based on fast break scoring and perimeter shooting but we didn’t have the legs. Defensively we felt it would be better to make Colton beat us from outside than in the post since they hadn’t shot well from the perimeter the night before. You have to tip your hat to them since they just brought it.”

Against Colton, ACH fell behind 9-0 before Lady Warrior Madeline Isaak hit a three-pointer late in the first quarter to break the ice.

But Colton countered with three treys of their own including a buzzer-beater that put ACH down 17-6 at the end of the first quarter.

“They shot very good that night and we weren’t at all,” ACH’s Nikki Osborne said. “That last shot kind of made it hard for us to even check back into the game. The further they got away it became harder for us.”

Osborne’s lay-up brought ACH within 22-11 early in the second quarter, but Colton would end the half on a 16-4 run, sparked by three-more three-pointers.

The champion Wildcats recorded seven makes beyond the arc in the game’s first 16 minutes as they led 38-15 at halftime, essentially sealing the win.

“A lot of disappointment at halftime from the girls’ perspective,” Addink said. “We just talked about getting little victories in the second half to motivate us for the summer and get ready for next year. We just wanted to battle and take some positives away from the game. We did get a few even though we would have liked to get a few more little victories.”

Colton would end up with 11 total three-pointers in the game while shooting 44 percent from the field.

ACH shot only 29 percent and committed 18 turnovers compared to the Wildcats’ 10.

“That was our worst game there,” Isaak said. “Our shooting was way off and we were really tired. And Colton is one of those teams we shouldn’t be more tired than since they play seven girls and press the entire tournament so we can’t use it as an excuse. It just didn’t seem we had as much heart as they did.”

Osborne led the Lady Warriors with 10 points and nine rebounds.

She was also the only ACH player to get to the free-throw line, finishing six-for-11.

“I believe we could have gotten more players to the line if at all,” Addink said. “If you are in the state title and not shooting well you need to attack more and not settle for jumpers as much as we did.”

Sarah Gloyn added 10 points and Isaak added nine points and four assists.

Their offensive woes may have been hinted at the night before in the 48-28 win over Pateros in the semifinal.

ACH shot only 15 percent from the field in the first-half as they trailed 17-12 at intermission.

But when Pateros’ free elbow-swinging post Lorrie Mattson picked up her third foul early in the third quarter, Osborne and the ACH interior game went to work.

Osborne and crew would outscore Pateros 16-5 in the third quarter to reclaim control at 28-22 with one quarter to play and would roll from there.

ACH shot 58 percent from the field in the second half hitting numerous fast break layups and half-court offensive inside shots as Mattson would be called for her fourth foul late in the third quarter and it was game, set, and match.

Osborne finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds while Isaak chipped in with 13 points.

ACH held Pateros to 23 percent shooting for the game and forced 20 turnovers. They also outrebounded the Nannies 44-36.

Isaak and Osborne were both named to the All-Tournament first team.

Colton and the Lady Warrior teams return a majority of their rosters next year, including ACH, who lose no players going into 2010-2011.