By Michael Carman
Peninsula Daily News
SPOKANE — Neah Bay dug itself out of a 23-5 hole early to tie Tacoma Baptist late, but the Red Devils, hampered by foul trouble all game long, fell 60-57 to the Crusaders at the Class 1B state basketball tournament at Spokane Arena on Friday.
The consolation semifinal loss ended the Neah Bay (20-5) girls’ season a game short of a state trophy.
Red Devils head coach Tony McCaulley was livid with the 28-11 personal foul discrepancy that went against his team.
Tacoma Baptist shot 41 free throws, connecting on 31, while Neah Bay was 7 for 12 from the charity stripe.
McCaulley sought out a Washington Officials Association administrator after the game to express his displeasure in no uncertain terms.
“I’m usually not like that, but that was ridiculous,” McCaulley said.
“I’m just upset the officiating took away from the girls hustling so hard to get back into it. I really think the officiating was the difference in the game. I usually don’t like to say that, but in this case I really do.”
Neah Bay whittled away bit-by-bit at the Crusaders’ lead over the remainder of the game to trail 33-21 at halftime and 49-41 after three quarters.
“We did start slow but a lot of it was how they were calling the game to start,” McCaulley said.
“They always let you play physical over here and all of a sudden they don’t.”
Red Devils senior Tristin Johnson heated up to score 12 of her team-high 23 points in the third.
As the game grew closer and the on-court action became increasingly chippy, Neah Bay guard Gina McCaulley was whistled for a technical foul violation after clapping her hands following another foul call on the Red Devils.
An 8-2 run to open the fourth quarter, highlighted by a layup by Cheyenna Svec followed by a Svec 3-pointer, pulled Neah Bay within two, 51-49.
Johnson hit a leaner along the right baseline in traffic to tie the score at 53-all with 3:21 to play.
There was plenty of contact on the play but no foul call received.
“Every shot that Tristin made on the block there was a girl hanging on her and nothing was called,” McCaulley said.
A basket inside by Cei’J Gagnon had Neah Bay trailing by one, 56-55 with 44 seconds to go. But with Tacoma Baptist deep in the double bonus the Crusaders’ Brooklyn Pascua was fouled twice in the final moments and knocked down all four foul shots to seal the game.
“We busted our butts and we almost made it happen, but the foul trouble prevented us from playing the defense we would have liked down the stretch,” McCaulley said.
“I’m proud of the season, we played well. We were fortunate to be here. We will miss our seniors, but we will regroup and gain some new players out there and be back.”
Neah Bay will lose Johnson, Vonte Aguirre, Starlena Halttunen and Brianne Jimmicum to graduation.
“I’ve never really played basketball, but I’m really glad I played this year,” Aguirre said.
“Our team got really close, the closest I’ve ever seen. And we worked together well as a team.
“It’s been a really good year. I had a lot of fun.”
Even if the final moments of the season produced more frustration than fulfillment.
Tacoma Baptist 60, Neah Bay 57
Tacoma Baptist 21 12 16 11 — 57
Neah Bay 5 16 20 17 — 60
Tacoma Baptist (60) — Pascua 26, VanLiew 17, Young 7, Kitselman 6, Leaman 3, Peterson 1.
Neah Bay (57) — Johnson 23, McCaulley 9, Aguirre 7, Svec 7, Gagnon 7, Winck 2, Halttunen 2, Lovik, Jimmicum.
Al Camp/Omak Chronicle Neah Bay seniors Vonte Aguirre (center, headband) and Tristin Johnson embrace after the Red Devils’ 60-57 loss to Tacoma Baptist in the Class 1B girls basketball state tournament Friday at Spokane Arena.
Al Camp/Omak Chronicle Neah Bay players from left, Gina McCaulley (white/black shoes), Brianne Jimmicum, Starlena Halttunen and Vonte Aguirre react in the latter moments of the Red Devils’ 60-57 loss to Tacoma Baptist in the Class 1B girls basketball state tournament Friday at Spokane Arena.
Al Camp/Omak Chronicle Neah Bay’s Vonte Aguirre scraps with Tacoma Baptist’s Emily Young during the Class 1B girls basketball state tournament Friday at Spokane Arena.
Al Camp/Omak Chronicle Neah Bay’s Cei’J Gagnon shoots while defended by Tacoma Baptist’s Rachel VanLiew during the Class 1B girls basketball state tournament Friday at Spokane Arena.
