#4 Heppner, #5 Scio set to play for 4th Place

PENDLETON – In Thursday’s consolation round, #4 Heppner held off unranked Lakeview, 45-38 to advance to Saturday’s 4th-6th place game. In the 9:00 game, #5 Scio came back from a 12-point halftime deficit to edge #9 Oakland, 51-50.

#4 Heppner 45 – Lakeview 38

#4 Heppner (BMC #2) reaches the 4th-6th place game for the second time in three years with the Mustangs’ 45-38 consolation win over Lakeview (SCL #2) Thursday morning. In 2008, coach Mark Dowdy’s team lost to Glendale, 43-37, taking home the 6th place trophy. Heppner looks to improve on that Saturday.

Neither team shot well in this game, with Heppner at 33.3 % (16-48) and Lakeview 31.8% (14-44). After taking a 20-17 halftime lead, the Mustangs used a 19-15 third period to pad their cushion. Each team struggled to a 6-6 tie in the final period, leading to the final 45-38 score.

(L) Heppner's Erin Price drives for two of her game-high 15 points; (R) Kinsey Seaton led Lakeview with 13 points

Photos by Bruce McCain

Complete Set of Game Photos at Heppner vs Lakeview

Erin Price led Heppner (21-5) and all scorers with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Jessica Hughes added 9 more for the ‘Stangs. Lakeview (16-12) got 13 points and 9 rebounds from junior Kinsey Seaton.

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#5 Scio 51 - #9 Oakland 50

After dropping a 48-30 game to the TRC #3 seed on Wednesday, #9 Oakland came out early Thursday determined not to lose to another TRC team and make back-to-back 0-2 exits at Pendleton. For three periods, the Oakers outworked and outplayed #5 Scio, leading 16-8 after one period and 36-24 at halftime. But Oakland’s 31.6% FG shooting in the first half proved only a taste of what was to come as Oakland made only 4 of 36 shots in the second half, blowing a 48-39 lead with 5:35 to play.

If ever the cliché was true that a team can snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory, Oakland proved it against Scio. For their part, the Loggers took advantage of every missed shot, turnover, jump ball and favorable call down the stretch. After whittling away at Oakland’s tenuous lead, Scio finally tied the game at 48-48 when Haley Guest scored at 1:08. On Oakland’s next possession, Chelsea Spencer’s drive down the key rimmed out and was snagged by Guest, who lobbed a lead breakaway pass to Sami Devore. The TRC POY raced in for a layin, giving Scio its first lead of the game at 50-48. Seconds later, Devore sank one of two free throws, extending the Logger’s lead to 51-48.

On Oakland’s final possession, Spencer drove to the top of the key for a final shot, but was fouled by Guest, who fouled out on the play. After a brief conference, the officials determined Spencer was fouled on her attempt outside the arc and was given three free throw attempts to tie the game with 0:00.3 left on the clock. The suspense was quickly broken  when Spencer’s first attempt missed, giving the Logger faithful their first chance to celebrate all day. Spencer swished the next two attempts, but with less than half a second to play, the game ended on the ensuing inbounds pass.

(L) Scio's Cassandra Temple scores against Oakland; (R) Oaker senior Brittaney Baimbridge powers up for two points.

Photos by Bruce McCain

Complete Set of Game Photos at Scio vs Oakland

Guest cemented her place on the all-tournament team with 20 points, following her 26-point performance on Wednesday. Devore was benched for most of the first half with three fouls and zero points. The senior guard made 4 of 13 attempts in the second half and finished with 12 points. Marcy Ortiz and Cassandra Temple scored six apiece for the Loggers (23-6), who advance to Saturday’s 9:00 am 4th-6th place game, thereby guaranteeing the school a trophy in girls’ basketball. With ELCA and SAC in the semifinals, the TRC is guaranteed three trophies this year.

Oakland (20-8) was led by Spencer, who had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, six assists and five steals. Brittaney Baimbridge ended her career with nine points and 14 rebounds. Senior Taylor McLean was the hero for Oakland as the senior’s last high school game saw her score 18 points, including four 3-pointers. For the game, Oakland shot a dismal 21.6% from the field, making only 16 of 74 fg attempts, with dozens of those misses at point blank range. The Oakers will have plenty of “what if’s” to ponder as they become the first team to exit Pendleton.