NEAH BAY— Ferreting out info on Neah Bay’s far-flung Class 1B playoff opponents is typically an adventure, regardless of sport.
This year is no exception, although the Red Devils boys basketball team shares a common opponent, Clallam Bay, with Wishkah Valley, its matchup in Saturday’s winner-to-state regional contest at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.
The Neah Bay girls (16-2) will face the Wellpinit Redskins (11-10), a team from the home of the Spokane Tribe of Indians in Stevens County, for a shot at state following the boys game at Mount Tahoma.
Loggers end drought
Wishkah Valley is making their first round-of-16 appearance since a visit to the old Boone Street Barn, the Spokane Coliseum, in 1985.
Gerrad Brooks, the Neah Bay boys coach, knows the Loggers (17-5) have one primary player, he just didn’t know his name (Brady Anderson) when prompted.
“He’s a 6-foot-3 lefty, their main scorer and he’s a shooter,” Brooks said.
“He’s their main offense, period. So they are looking to get him shots and he also handles the ball.”
Anderson averaged 22.2 points per game during the regular season.
Brooks added that they have another quick guard (Keigan Gardner) and shoot the ball well from outside as a team.
Clallam Bay lost to Wiskhah Valley twice this year.
“Anderson can shoot from anywhere in the gym and he doesn’t stand around. They screen for him and do a good job of making sure he gets the ball,” Bruins coach Kelly Gregory said.
“They weren’t really deep, only played about five, six guys, but they have good size.”
Gregory believes the Loggers will have to slow the pace of the game down to keep up with the breakneck Red Devils.
“Wishkah needs to keep the score down, break the press in backcourt and avoid the traps in the halfcourt, and be alert at all times,” Gregory said.
Brooks said his team will focus on playing its usual tough defense and taking care of the basketball to avoid turnovers on offense.
Wellpinit on recent roll
The Redskins qualified for a berth at regionals after winning three straight loser-out contests in the Northeast District 7 tournament.
Kyra Antone, a 2012-2013 Northeast 1B All-League member, leads the Redskins.
She scored 18 points in Wellpinit’s 56-45 regionals-clinching victory over Almira-Coulee-Hartline last Saturday.
“They play a wide-open, run and press type of offense,” said Chris Cowbrough, editor of the Statesman-Examiner in Colville.
“They aren’t very deep and Antone does most of their scoring.”
