LRS Broncos take fourth at 2B state tournament

SPOKANE - Lind-Ritzville/Sprague and Morton-White Pass have become mighty familiar with each other.

Just months after the Broncos prevailed in the 2B football championship against the Timberwolves, 7-0, the two teams squared off in the first round of the 2B Boys Hardwood Classic in Spokane.

Morton-White Pass blitzed the Broncos in the first half, building a 17-point lead at intermission, and cruised to a 73-56 win.

Despite a game-high 27 points from Dylan Hartz, the Timberwolves' balanced attack of six players in double figures won out.

LRS' Connor O'Neil was able to score 12 points.

The Broncos' rebounded quickly and won the next two games to finish fourth in state.

In the consolation bracket, LRS was able to clamp down defensively against Northwest Christian (Colbert) and win 55-44. The Crusaders were held to 33 percent shooting for the game.

Hartz and Ryan Whitmore scored 13 points each while Cort Ruzicka added 10.

The Broncos used a 17-9 third quarter to out-last Mossyrock, 69-60, in the fourth/sixth place game.

Whitmore scored a team-high 15 points, Hartz made it three straight games in double figures with 12 and O’Neil added 13.

Tyler Frederick’s 14 points made it four Broncos in double figures against the Vikings.

Morton-White Pass took home first place after defeating St. George’s, 54-51, in the champion-ship.