SPOKANE — The Neah Bay boys basketball team remained alive in the championship bracket with a come-from-behind 58-47 victory over Garfield-Palouse at the Spokane Arena late Thursday night.
The Vikings led most of the game and held a six-point edge at 33-27 with about four minutes left in the third period when the Red Devils closed the game out on a 31-14 run. An 11-0 run in the fourth quarter salted the game away.
Neah Bay play Willapa Valley at 7:15 p.m. today in the state quarterfinals. If they win that game, they are in the state semifinals at 9 p.m. Friday against either Lummi or Ocosta. Lummi beat the Red Devils in the Tri-District championship game. If they lose, they move to the consolation bracket with a chance to finish fifth in the state. They would play the loser between Lummi and Ocosta at 2 p.m. Friday.
Garfield-Palouse went into the second half up 27-21. The Vikings maintained that six-point edge halfway through the third when Neah Bay turned the game. Mathias Greene hit a 3-pointer and then LeAnthony Jimmicum had a 3-point play on a fast break, hitting a lay-up and then converting a free throw.
The game remained tight with neither team holding more than a 3-point edge until midway through the fourth. With the Red Devils up 43-42, Neah Bay blew the game open by getting numerous stops on defense. Makyah Chambers hit a basket, Tyler Swan a 3-pointer and then Seactis Woodruff made a bucket on a fast break. Chambers then added four straight free throws to quickly make it 54-42. Chambers shot 6-for-7 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter.
Chambers led the team with 18 points, while Swan had two 3-pointers and finished with 12. Woodruff had 10 and Jimmicum seven.
There were 30 combined fouls called in the physical game. The Red Devils shot 12-for-21 on their free throws.
Willapa Valley is 21-2 and ranked No. 4 in the state in Ratings Percentage Index. Lummi is ranked 22-3 and ranked No. 3. Ocosta is 16-7.
Neah Bay 58, Garfield-Palouse 47
NB 10 11 21 16 — 58
G-P 15 12 12 8 — 47
Neah Bay (58) — Chambers 18, Swan 12, Woodruff 10, Jimmicum 7, Greene 5, Wimberly 2, Sawyer 2.
