State Basketball Tournament Roundup: Willapa Valley’s season ends at the hands of Toledo

Also: South Bend’s impressive playoff run ends with loss

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2B State Tournament

Toledo 58, Willapa Valley 40

Two weeks ago, the Willapa Valley Vikings suffered a bitter defeat at the hands of the Toledo Mules in the 2B District IV title game.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, history repeated itself Friday morning.

Willapa Valley suffered a 58-40 season-ending defeat to the Mules in the consolation bracket of the 2B State Tournament at the Spokane Arena.

In contrast to the Vikings’ defeat back on Feb. 16, Willapa Valley kept the game close throughout the first half and found itself down by a mere three points in the waning moments before halftime.

But two 3-pointers from Toledo’s Hayden Farbo gave the Mules some breathing room just before the break, and Willapa Valley’s trouble knocking down shots against a quick Toledo defense spelled the end of the Vikings’ tournament run.

While Willapa Valley held two of Toledo’s top scorers — Fano Arceo-Hansen and Andreas Malunat — to just six and four points, respectively, other Mules stepped up in their place.

“We learned from districts that this was going to be a defensive tussle,” Willapa Valley head coach Jay Pearson said. “We had to take Malunat and Hansen out and make others beat us. We dared them to beat us and they did.”

Farbo ended the game with 14 points for Toledo, tied with center Westin Wallace for the team lead.

Brian Wood added 12 points for Toledo (23-4 overall).

Senior Matt Pearson led the Vikings with 12 points in his last game for Willapa Valley (20-8).

Allen Deniston, playing in place of center Beau Buchanan (illness), scored eight points for the Vikings.

“The bottom line was they just had more offensive weapons than we did,” said Pearson, whose team shot 31 percent from the field on 14-of-45 shooting. “Got to give (Toledo) credit, their height, length and speed bothered us.”

With Willapa Valley’s season concluded, Coach Pearson reflected on where this team ranks in the pantheon of his coaching career.

“They did everything we asked them and in my 20 years, it’s the best group I’ve ever coached,” he said. “We had a heck of a ride.”

Willapa Valley 7 5 14 14 — 40

Toledo 8 15 18 17 — 40

Top Players: Willapa Valley — M. Pearson (12 pts.), Deniston (8 pts.), Chad Flemitis (5 pts.), Logan Walker (9 reb.), Peter Hamilton (7 reb.); Toledo — Wallace (14 pts.), Farbo (14 pts.), Wood (12 pts.).

2B State Tournament

Davenport 48, South Bend 31

South Bend’s improbable ride deep into the 2B State Tournament ended with a 48-31 consolation-round loss to Davenport on Friday in Spokane.

South Bend (17-11), which finished fourth in the Pacific League and entered the state playoffs as a No. 15 seed, fell behind early to a strong Gorillas team. By the end of the first quarter, the Indians faced a 17-point deficit and had just one point on the scoreboard.

South Bend’s fortunes didn’t improve much in the second quarter as the Indians fell further behind after being outscored 11-3 in the frame.

“Davenport was just too physical for us and we had a rough start,” South Bend head coach Gary Wilson said. “We really struggled with their pressure. We settled down in the second half, but the damage was already done.”

South Bend shot 10-of-45 from the field while Davenport made 18-of-55 shots.

As it has been for the majority of the season, South Bend’s seniors led the way for the Indians. Karley Reidinger was the only Indians player in double figures with 12 points, followed by fellow seniors Hannah Byington (9 points) and Jessica Sanchez (6 pts.).

Wilson praised his seniors and the entire team for thrilling its fans and the South Bend community with the impressive playoff performance.

“It was the end of a great run and one I will never forget,” Wilson said. “The ride this team took the community and the school on will never be forgotten.”

South Bend 1 3 15 12 — 31

Davenport 18 11 15 4 — 48

Top Players: South Bend — Reidinger (12 pts., 4 stl.), Byington (9 pts.), Sanchez (6 pts., 6 reb., 4 asst., 4 stl.), Zaira Medina (5 pts.).