Reflections of 1B state, pride of the Columbia Basin

COLUMBIA BASIN — I will never forget Ksenja Fredere the basketball player.

How could anyone who was sitting within viewing distance of this year’s first round Class 1B state playoff game between the Wilson Creek Lady Devils and the Taholah Chitwins last week?

Sure it was Wilson Creek’s first ever state appearance for the girls’ program and sure it had been decades since any hoops team from there made it to the season’s final weekend.

But Ksenja made the moment…she created a memory via a performance that was not only remarkable but in many ways was transcendent.

I’m sure by now everyone has read plenty about Miss Fredere’s four state records — most points in a game (36), most field goals taken (19), most free throws taken (24), and most free throws made (16) in a game — she set in Wilson Creek’s 62-59 overtime win over the Chitwins.

But many may not realize just how special the performance was.

It wasn’t that Fredere scored 23 points over the game’s last 12 minutes to help will Wilson Creek to the win but it was more about how she did it.

Ksenja Fredere’s performance was one of the five greatest I have ever seen at any level from Jordan to Kobe to Laettner to Isiah Thomas (yes, I was a little kid watching him play in high school).

Why? Because she did what she did without one signature move.

Not one.

Speaking after the game with Miss Fredere the humble and gracious senior admitted to me that she in fact really doesn’t have one.

It’s not like she has a killer crossover dribble with a vicious first step to the hole.

Or that she has a totally awesome turnaround jumper or a fadeaway to the baseline.

Her post moves don’t employ a lot of deception or great up-and-under skills.

No.

She really is a simple A to Z baller: Give me the ball and get out of my way.

So how did she do it you might ask?

Simple.

Ksenja Fredere’s greatest talent is her pure desire to win.

Period.

I have never seen such a good athlete who admittedly doesn’t specialize in basketball and thus is equipped with solid if not spectacular hoops talents be so dominant when it mattered most.

That is what makes her moment, that day, so special to me.

She is what America should be all about.

A young woman, working harder than anyone else, overcoming the odds, maximizing their abilities, and never, ever giving up to be a success based on pure hard work.

I am so sorry I didn’t get to see much of Ksenja’s play during her career, with me being new here and all.

But many of you in Wilson Creek and Grant County did.

Embrace the memory of watching her play for all those times you were able.

I will wrap my arms around my vision of watching one of the greatest performances I have ever seen.

And be glad I got to see it every day for the rest of my life.

Hope all of you who were there too do the same thing….

Luck of the Lions

Walking out of the Sundome after the Moses Lake Christian Academy Lions’ 44-41 semifinal loss on Friday night, I felt one part sadness, one part pride.

Sadness for having watched a team endure one of the worst officiating calls I have ever seen, making their chances for a tie or possible win in the waning seconds that much more remote.

But it was pride which overwhelmed me.

Pride because I was able to say “I covered that team.”

Why? Simply put, because the way they handled those last frantic, emotional, and controversial moments, was one for the record books for class.

From coach Duke Wood on down to every single heartbeat of each player wearing a Lions uniform, they were all about dignity.

No ranting. No swearing. No pouting. No whining.

They kept composed, tried to endure the situation, make the most of it, and still tried to win.

And they didn’t.

But at the same time they did.

See, Moses Lake Christian Academy lost what amounts to a basketball game.

Yet, they left the court winners. Winners for their character. Winners because of their heart and work ethic.

They won because every night they left everything they had on that court.

Coach Wood and those young men have nothing but one thing they should ever remember about this season.

This was the year they showed the entire state how in 2010 we saw the true definition of winning with character.

And broke the mold in the process.

Youthful Lady Warriors not done yet

Yeah it kinda stunk getting beat in the Class 1B girls final.

But the young and talented Almira/Coulee-Hartline Lady Warriors’ run to the title game was something to behold.

They ran, they shot, they guarded, and they harassed all their opponents into submission.

And while doing so it was not only fun to watch but a joy to be a part of simply because how could anyone not root for this team?

No seniors on the team, a bevy of underclassmen, and leaders who love to laugh and have a good time off the court, the ACH team was full of good players on the court and greater players off of it.

Yes, Colton will return a lot of players from this year’s championship squad, but the Lady Warriors do too.

From watching both teams you can see ACH still has a high ceiling to reach where Colton may have peaked athletically.

The margin between the two should close greatly next year and I for one am counting the days for Yakima 1B state 2011 to begin.

I wouldn’t bet against these girls one bit.

If they work as hard as I expect them to…that championship trophy could be in Grant County by next March.

Isaak and Isaak were run and fun all season

I always enjoyed interviewing ACH boys coach Scott Isaak.

He was never short of a good quote and broke down games to where I felt I could report them as if I was sitting right there.

What I always respected is that he had a principle about the game. One simply based on teamwork, which branched off to work ethic and accountability.

Once his team got their ducks in a row after a 6-6 start everyone watched this athletic and talented team take off.

They finished the season 12-4 and with a seventh place trophy in the 1B state tournament.

To top it off, his son Derek, only a sophomore, scored 90 points against four top calliber teams, to come within four points of the state tournament record.

Derek may not have been MVP of the tournament but let’s be honest here, if ACH even just gets to the semifinals or final, it would have been a travesty if the trophy hadn’t ended up in his hands.

But with the athletes returning next year along with Derek and his father calling the plays, ACH could once again be a threat come state time.

Now if someone could just bring me a bottle of the water they have out there in the ACH area…I mean how can a school so small have so many darn good athletes?

Where do I sign up?