Casting Webb's will, Lions are not denied final

KITTITAS -  A win meant moving one game closer to a potential

regional next week at Eastmont High School.

It also wouldn't hurt evening the score with Cascade

Christian.

Then of course a little dose of Connor Webb doesn't hurt

either.

MOSES LAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY boys 49, Cascade Christian 41

KITTITAS -  A win meant moving one game closer to a potential regional next week at Eastmont High School.

It also wouldn't hurt evening the score with Cascade Christian.

Then of course a little dose of Connor Webb doesn't hurt either.

Webb, who suffered a tough ankle injury would not be denied court time in the second half and he and banged up running mate Joe Timofeyev would lead the Moses Lake Christian Academy Lions to a 49-41 win over Cascade Christian in a North Central Washington 1B district tournament winner's bracket final.

Now, the Lions await the winner of Thursday's Cascade Christian/Wilson Creek encounter on Friday to determine who will take that trip north on Feb. 25.

The Academy (17-5) have to lose two to be eliminated.

"This win "It was huge especially for us because we need rest for our injuries," Academy head coach Duke Wood said. "We're going to walk through some things and that's it for day. That, and free throws."

The Academy were up 23-20 at halftime and were wondering if Webb's freshly banged up ankle would keep him out of the game.

No, because Webb already knew the answer.

"You can't pull him out and I don't know how he finished," Wood said. "He came out at halftime and told me 'I'm playing.' I told him he can't play and he took a ball and pounded it four times, drove to the basket laid it up, pounded his chest and said, 'play me.' He played great, even if he didn't score. His court presence and awareness is so important."

Then Timofeyev, dealing with ankle issues of his own, scoring nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lions hold on for the win.

Timofeyev, the league's Player of the Year now two years running, hit a three-pointer, got a steal and layup, and hit four big free throws in the waning moments.

Isaac Murrell led the Academy with 16 points.

Setting up their game against Cascade Christian, the Lions beat Mansfield 57-43 in Monday's semifinal contest.

Thomas Knopp led the Academy with 17 points and six rebounds.

"We kept attacking the basket while finishing the shot or making the extra pass to finish the shot," Wood said. "The boys played very well all the way around."

Murrell scored 15 points, dished five assists, and five rebounds while Webb chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, and five assists to pace the Lions' attack.

"We came out of the gate well offensively and forced a few to's first half to take the lead at half," Wood said. "We came out second half with a 4-0 run to go up 15 and went into cruise control the rest of the way."

Lowell Kirkwood pitched in with nine points while defending Mansfield's leading scorer, Macen McLean, most of the evening.