5th Annual
North Central District "A"
Boys Basketball Tournament
1962

Champ

ionship

Qui

ncy

Score

: 52-37

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Ephrata 52, Okanogan 46
Game 1. (Loser out)
At Eastmont High School

Ephrata played it cool to come from behind and defeat Okanogan.
Okanogan, coached by Will McGillivrey, opened with an impressive rush, at one time holding an eight point lead in the first period. The Bulldogs were perfect from the free throw line in that quarter, hitting all eight of their foul shots. The quarter ended 14-8, Okanogan.
At halftime Ephrata still hadn't penetrated Okanogan's fierce zone defense and it was Okanogan, 23-19.
So it continued through the third quarter, neither team getting any easy shots.  Ephrata hustling to slow Okanogan's fast break.  Foul shots were frequent.
Working hard, Mel Smith was hitting some vital points for the Bulldogs.  Okanogan was hustling the boards and still held the lead, 37-34 going into the final quarter.
Then a free throw by Art Carr and a field goal by Gary Walcott put the Tigers into a tie just after the quarter opened. Bruce Greene, who played a great floor game, dropped in two free throws and Doug Conklin hit a field goal to spur Ephrata into a four-point lead.
Conklin seized control of the boards and potted two more field goals midway through the final, frantic quarter and suddenly it was 50-42.
In the final moments, the poised Tigers dropped five-out-of-five free throw attempts and coasted to the win.
Okanogan, which sank eight-of-eight free throws in the first quarter, actually lost the game at the well-trampled free throw line.
Okanogan had 15 field goals and sank 18-of-27 free throws.
Conklin had 17 points to lead all scorers.  Gary Newlon had 14 points to lead Okanogan.

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Quincy 52, Tonasket 37
Game 2. (Championship, winner to state)
At Eastmont High School

Quincy can pack its bags and get ready to head for the State A tournament in Tacoma. And the Jackrabbits can plaster a bright label on those bags "North Central District Champs."
Quincy played a near-perfect of sharp passing, ball hawking, and neatly executed patterns that snaked through Tonasket's defense.
Some deadeye shooting by Darrel Verbeck kept Tonasket in contention through the first quarter, which ended with Quincy on top, 11-10.
The Tigers surged ahead by two points midway in the second period.  But that was the last time they were destined to have the lead. Ken Bruce of Quincy, playing an inspirational floor game, popped in four straight points and the Jacks went out in front to stay. By halftime they led, 26-21.
Jim Spence opened the second half with some swooshing long shots and the Jackrabbits started pulling away.  Meanwhile their tight 1-3-1 zone defense was choking Tonasket and the Tigers were having awful shooting troubles.
By the end of the third period it was 42-32.
At that stage Quincy's "big boy", 6-2 Tom Knox fouled out.  However, even with complete height control, Tonasket couldn't capitalize on it. Spence, Bruce and the rest of the Quincy crew pressed, stole passes and forced Tiger errors.
Burly Don Baldwin replaced the fouled-out Knox. Not only did he help thwart a possible Tonasket rally, but he also poured in five points to lead team scoring in the final period.
Verbeck led all scorers with 17 points.  Teammate Del Thorton had 14. Each of the other Tigers was held to two points.
Meanwhile, Quincy scoring was divided. Spence had 14, followed by Bill Sund with 12.
"I'm pretty darned proud of them," said Quincy coach Bob Woodworth.
He expressed confidence in his ball club against any team of comparable height. "We might have trouble up against a big team, though. We'd have to hit 60 percent of our shots."

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Ephrata 40, Tonasket 34
Game 3. (Winner to state, loser out)
At Eastmont High School

Ephrata earned a berth in the State Class A tournament by downing Caribou Trail League champion Tonasket at East Wenatchee Saturday.
Ephrata coach Bob Atkinson's Tigers used a slow, ball control type offense to down the Tonasket five.
Ephrata scored the opening bucket just after the starting gun but didn't score again for four minutes. Tonasket was just as cold from the field and netted only one field goal in the opening six minutes.
Bob Fancher swished three fielders and Ed Buchert added a free throw as Tonasket raced to a 14-8 lead early in the second period.
The Tigers from Ephrata were held scoreless during the opening four-and-a-half minutes of the quarter but field goals by Gary Walcott, Art Carr and Doug Conklin brought them within one point.
Bruce Greene scored two field goals in the final minute of play then Conklin swished a long one just before the buzzer and Ephrata had a commanding 21-16 halftime bulge.
The Ephratians stretched their lead to nine points, 25-16, midway in the third period. Tonasket staged a rally late in the quarter and when the buzzer sounded they had trimmed the margin to 27-22.
Darrel Verbeck, Dell Thorton and Buchert teamed up for six points in the opening two minutes of the final stanza as Tonasket grabbed a 28-27 lead.
Ephrata spurted away to a four-point lead, 34-30.  Back came Tonasket to knot the score at 34-all with 2:54 to play, but Tonasket didn't score during the remaining time.
Fielders by Greene and Carr put Ephrata on top by four points, then Jimmy Clark sewed up the win by sinking a pair of free throws.
Ephrata held a big edge in the rebounding department, completely dominating the defensive board and limiting Tonasket to one shot through most of the contest.  Conklin and Carr hauled in most of the rebounds for the Tigers.
Buchert and John Appel did a fine job on defense for Tonasket.
Conklin took game scoring honors with 13 points while Carr added 10.
Buchert topped Tonasket scoring with 11.