Willapa Valley found out just how good the second-ranked Morton-White Pass Timberwovles are in a 64-44 loss in the 15th Annual Jack Q. Pearson Holiday Classic on Thursday in Menlo.
The Vikings (5-2) — the No. 2 team in the 1B class according to the latest AP rankings — stayed right with the Timberwolves (8-1) — the No. 2 team in the 2B poll — through the first quarter.
Willapa Valley led 11-8 after a bucket by senior forward Derek Fluke off a feed from senior forward Garrett Keeton with 2:56 to go in the first quarter.
But MWP went on a 9-1 run, sparked by a 4-point play (3-pointer followed by a foul shot) by T-Wolves senior guard Jake Cournyer, and took a 17-12 lead with 11 seconds on the clock.
Willapa Valley’s Kolten Fluke hit a hurried, buzzer-beating 3-point bank shot to cut the deficit to 17-15 at the end of one quarter of play.
While things may have appeared uncertain for MWP after 6-foot-7 big man Josh Salguero was on the bench with two early fouls, the T-Wolves had plenty of offensive weapons to utilize.
MWP quickly took control of the game in the second quarter, increasing defensive pressure on the perimeter to challenge Vikings shooters and embarking on a 11-0 run to start the second frame and take a 28-15 lead.
Willapa Valley trailed by as much as 18 in the period after senior guard Hunter Hazen grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to put MWP up 35-17 with 45 seconds left in the first half.
But Vikings senior guard Riley Pearson was fouled while taking a shot behind the 3-point line, subsequently converting all three free throws to make it a 35-20 ballgame at the half.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Willapa Valley senior guard Riley Pearson led the Vikings with 15 points during a 47-27 loss in the 15th Annual Jack Q. Pearson Holiday Classic on Thursday in Menlo.
In the second half, MWP’s size and defensive pressure continued to cause problems as — after scoring five points in the second quarter — the Vikings managed 11 points in the third.
The T-Wolves took a 20-point lead on a Hazen jump shot to put MWP up 47-27 with 2:27 left in the game.
MWP would lead by as much as 27 at 54-27 before a pair of Pearson free throws followed by a Derek Fluke field goal in the final minute of play had Willapa Valley down 54-31 in the third quarter.
Both teams cleared their benches later in the fourth quarter as MWP earned the 64-44 victory.
MWP had four players score in double figures with Hazen leading the way with 18 points.
Pearson and Derek Fluke led Willapa Valley with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
The Vikings went 15-of-47 shooting on the evening (32%), including 5 of 19 from 3-point range (26%), and had 25 rebounds while committing 14 turnovers in the game.
“They are a hell of a team. They don’t have any weak spots,” Willapa Valley head coach Jay Pearson said of the Timberwolves. “We always want to win and we think we are going to win, but we are learning to play at a different speed and with a different physicality. I realize it was a 20-point game, but at the end, Morton-White Pass knew they were in a game. Everyone of those guys had their head down and was sweating. … I’m proud of my team. Tonight, we made them earn it and we never backed down.”
Willapa Valley continues its JQP Holiday Classic play with another tough game, facing 2B No. 6 Adna at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Morton-White Pass 17 18 19 10 — 64
Willapa Valley 15 5 11 13 — 44
Scoring: MWP — Hazen 18, Cournyer 15, Salguero 15, Kelly 12, Peters 4. Willapa Valley — Pearson 15, K. Fluke 10, D. Fluke 7, Clements 7, Keeton 4.
Ocosta 71, Taholah 28
Ocosta led wire-to-wire in a 71-28 win over Taholah on Thursday in Westport.
The Wildcats (5-5) scored the game’s first 14 points and never looked back in taking a 24-6 lead after one quarter and 43-16 lead by halftime.
Ocosta was led by Mark Lewis and Xander Prigmore with 14 and 11 points, respectively, and had 12 players get in the scoring column on Thursday.
The Wildcats went 19 of 55 from the field (35%) and had 19 assists as a team.
Ocosta also had 33 rebounds — 17 offensive — and 23 steals but committed 16 turnovers as a team.
Jayden Lewis led Taholah (1-4) with 15 points.
The Wildcats play at Ilwaco at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3.
Taholah hosts North Beach at 7 p.m. Friday.
Taholah 6 10 10 2 — 28
Ocosta 24 19 20 8 — 71
Scoring: Taholah — Lewis 15, Adams 7, Vitalis 2, N. Charlie 2, J. Charlie 2. Ocosta — M. Lewis 14, X. Prigmore 11, K. Agramon 8, N. Prigmore 8, J. Agramon 5, Turner 5, T. Lewis 5, M. Priest 5, Figueroa 3, Matthews 3, Barnum 2, R. Priest 2.
