Huskies boys win nailbiter at home

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (8-12) overcame the Ellensburg Bulldogs 71-68 at home Tuesday night. Head coach Juan Garcia was proud of how his players battled through adversity.   

“That's a great win, man. They fought really hard tonight. We just switched it up in the third quarter. The defense just picked up and turned it around,” Garcia said.   

After being tied 16-16 in the first quarter, the Bulldogs pulled ahead at halftime 30-35. In the second half, the Huskies kept battling and kept the score within five points or less. However, they erupted offensively to outscore Ellensburg 25-18 behind the hot hands of LJ Nunez and Juan Tovar to seal the win at home.   

“They've grown (this season),” Garcia said. “Senior Night brings the best out of everybody. These guys worked so hard tonight. I have not been so much prouder than tonight, that's just a good way to end the season.”   

In the first quarter, the Huskies jumped out to a 7-3 lead. However, the Bulldogs climbed back into the game to tie it 11-11. They were evenly matched on both ends of the court as each took turns forcing turnovers and finding shots inside the paint. Quade Gonzalez swatted a shot attempt by the Bulldogs, which helped them keep the game tied 16-16 heading into the second quarter.   

While Othello remained competitive in the second, Ellensburg edged ahead with a 30-35 lead by halftime after a few buckets in the final minute of the half.   

In the third quarter, the pendulum shifted back toward the Huskies after switching their approach on defense, according to Garcia. Whether it was in transition or on the Bulldogs' end of the court, the Huskies swarmed any player who possessed the ball to take away their vision and passing options. This helped the Huskies force turnovers and keep the score close.   

“When you go down, you have to start a little bit more high risk, high reward. You might get a couple shots in the back, but if you're making four to each one, you'll take those odds,” Garcia said.   

Three pointers by Gavin Simmons and Gonzalez and a layup by Nunez cut the deficit to 46-50 at the end of the third.   

In the fourth quarter, the Huskies continued to run their trap defense as Nunez, Gonzalez and Tovar shifted into a higher gear offensively. They stepped into their transition defense as well after Gonzalez forced a turnover and laid it in the hoop as they retook the lead 63-59 late in the fourth.   

Nunez utilized his quickness to draw fouls, which helped him get to the free-throw line on multiple occasions. With under a minute left, Nunez facilitated an offensive play to find a wide-open Tovar for a corner three, which put the Huskies up 69-64 and 40-seconds to go in the game. Another pair of free throws by Nunez and the Huskies sealed the win at home.   

“We came off a loss (previously), so this one means a lot. I think if we beat East Valley, we get to host our first district game at home, and it's been a while since we've done that,” Nunez said.   

With the win, Othello still have their eyes set on the fifth seed in the Central Washington Athletic Conference as it hits the road to play East Valley on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. As Garcia looks at the landscape of the CWAC, he feels confident in his team against any other opponent.   

“Any given night, I think we could take anybody on. If we play the right way, we always have a chance,” he said.  

BOX SCORE:   

EBRG: 16-19-15-18: 68
OTHL: 16-14-16-25: 71 

    LJ Nunez (15) surveys the court during a game against the Ellensburg Bulldogs Tuesday. Nunez led the team with 29 points in their win over the Bulldogs.
  

    Juan Tovar (3) pump fakes an Ellensburg defender at the three-point line during their game Tuesday night.
  

    The Huskies’ Quade Gonzalez (1) signals to his teammates during their game against Ellensburg. Gonzalez had two blocked shots as the Huskies defeated the Bulldogs.