Eagles qualify for first state hoops trip
WENATCHEE — Behind what coach Bill Pierce called their best performance of the season, the Soap Lake Eagles are heading to their first ever state basketball appearance.
Kyler Moats scored 21 points and David Corrias added 18 points for Soap Lake (13-9) who rolled to a 34-15 halftime lead en route to a 61-38 win over Manson Saturday night at Wenatchee High School to book passage to the 2010 Class 2B state finals tournament in Spokane.
The win gave them the second state berth out of the North Central Washington district tournament.
“I think its the best we’ve played all year,” Pierce said. “Manson is a pretty good ballclub and we just came out firing and didn’t quit.”
The two teams split their regular season series but Manson could not overcome the huge first half by the Eagles.
“We just shot well and played good defense,” Pierce said. “We took them out of their game. Soap Lake had never been to a state tournament before so the boys came out fired up.”
The previous evening Soap Lake held off Oroville 45-40 to set up their showdown with Manson.
Moats scored 18 points and Zach Allen pitched in with 14 points.
The Class 2B tournament begins Wednesday and the Eagles open up play with a first-round encounter against White Swan.
White Swan (18-4) is on an 11-game winning streak and will make its ninth state appearance in the last 12 years.
Game time is 9 a.m. at the Spokane Arena.
Also on the Eagle’s side of the bracket are Pe Ell and Bear Creek who battle in the next game after the Eagles contest.
The two winners will play at 4 p.m. on Thursday in the 2B state quarterfinals.
The squads that lose their openers would be matched up in a 9 a.m. consolation battle the next day. Winners of that contest would stay alive while the losers would be eliminated from the tournament.
Also on the Soap Lake half of the upper bracket are Waitsburg-Prescott who takes on Napavine and Life Christian which is scheduled to take on 2009 runners-up Davenport in a 2 p.m. first round encounter.
Defending champions Northwest Christian have been eliminated.