ACH overcomes DeSales in regional game
ACH freshman Carter Pitts (11) tries to guard DeSales sophomore Carter Green (5) as another DeSales player blocks him during the regional matchup on Feb. 26.
Rebecca Pettingill/Columbia Basin Herald
DSC_7014.JPG Rebecca Pettingill/Columbia Basin Herald Two DeSales athletes attempt to stop ACH senior Grady Murray (25) from shooting at the regional matchup between the two teams on Feb. 26.
ACH senior Reece Isaak (23) looks to the basket as DeSales senior Frankie Worden (24) tries to swat the ball from behind on Feb. 26.
EAST WENATCHEE — While the Almira/Coulee-Hartline boys basketball team had already punched their ticket to the state tournament, they still had to face their regional tournament matchup for seeding at the state competition.
On Saturday, ACH went up against DeSales Catholic School at Eastmont High School. While neither team’s ticket to state was in jeopardy, the loser of the tournament would play on the first day of the state tournament in a loser-out game. The winner is automatically seeded to day two of the tournament.
The game started out fast and hard, both teams still fresh and ready to show the other what they were made of. Each team kept pace with the other during the first quarter but DeSales was able to pull a small lead. The first quarter ended with DeSales up by two, 11-9.
The second quarter saw DeSales widen that gap. ACH seemed to struggle and make several passing errors, resulting in DeSales gaining possession and having more chances to put more points on the board. By halftime, DeSales was leading 23-16.
ACH came back from the half with a renewed determination. They tightened up their offense and pushed their defense. Before long, ACH had caught up to DeSales, probably surprising them, and even took the lead before the quarter was over. ACH put up 17 points that quarter to do so.
It was 33-30 going into the fourth quarter and ACH had just a three-point lead. DeSales battled and tried to take the game but ACH was able to hold them back to win by only three points.
The final score was ACH 39, DeSales 36.
ACH senior Reece Isaak led the game with 24 points.
The key to ACH’s victory might have been the shift in the third quarter, but ACH head coach Graham Grindy attributed it to their defense.
“I've been telling the boys all year that defense is what will get you out of tough situations. And tonight was a tough situation,” Grindy said. “It wasn't that we played bad defense in the first half either, but we executed a little bit better. Offensively, we were better in the third quarter and the fourth quarter just went cold again. So it was just one of those roller coaster offensive nights.”
ACH will go on to pay on the second day of the state 2B tournament at the Spokane Arena. Their opponent will be determined after day one’s games are completed.
Box score:
ACH - 9 7 17 6 - 39
DeSales - 11 12 7 6 - 36
Rebecca Pettingill can be reached via email at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.
