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Cashmere 67, Ephrata 66
(3OT)
Game 12. (Championship, winner to state)
At Eastmont High School
The tradition continues while the
powerhouse looks for a key to the back door.
Cashmere, the most successful boys basketball team in North Central
District A history, is heading once again to the State A tournament after
a draining three-overtime thriller over Ephrata Friday night in the
district championship game.
While Cashmere makes plans for its trip to the Tacoma Dome, Ephrata will
try to secure a berth to its third consecutive state tournament. The
Tigers, who lost their first game of the season Friday, will face Omak
Saturday, 8:30pm at the Eastmont gym for the second berth.
Cashmere will make its 16th appearance at the state A tournament.
The string includes five championships, the last in 1986, and a fourth
place finish last year. The Bulldogs also lead the District record
book in appearances with (25) and wins (42).
For Ephrata, Saturday will offer a chance to get back on track. The Tigers
won all 22 games this season, plus an exhibition game, heading into
Friday's district title game. The Tigers hadn't lost since last
year's state tournament.
Champions are crowned each year in the boys North Central District A
basketball tournament.
But few previous tournaments could match the drama, tension and excitement
of Cashmere's triple overtime thriller.
Guard Neil Johnson scored all six of Cashmere's points in the third
overtime, including the winning points on two free throws with four
seconds to play.
Mike Cagle's 3-point shot at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced
away in the second-ranked Ephrata's last-gasp to retain its unbeaten
record.
"I've never gone to triple overtime before," said Cashmere coach
Steve Biehn. "I guess there is a first time for
everything."
Cashmere got the win by everybody doing his job. Everybody consisted of
five players until leading scorer Mark Milner fouled out in the
first overtime, and only six Bulldogs played in the 41-minute long
contest.
Heroes and goats were born minute by minute until Johnson finally ended
the suspense with his heroics in the third overtime.
Cagle's driving lay-in and free throw opened the scoring in the final
overtime, then Johnson went to work, drilling an 18-footer from the wing
and a reverse lay-in to put Cashmere up 65-64 with 46 seconds left.
Jeff Stucky answered with a lay-in with 29 seconds to play, and
after a pair of steals, Cashmere got the ball out of bounds with eight
seconds left. Johnson got the ball 15 feet out on the baseline and
drove to the hoop, where a pair of Tigers fouled him.
That sent Johnson to the free throw line and he swished both tries to give
Cashmere the amazing victory.
"I felt pretty good. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would
be," said Johnson.
The junior put together an incredible game, 21 points on 7-for-11shooting
from the field, and 7-for-8 on free throws, plus 10 rebounds. The
scoring output led both teams and was a career-high.
The Bulldogs also got big games out of the rest of the iron five - Milner
pumped in 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Brent Paine had 12
points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. Jon Day hit
4-of-5 shots for 10 points and Allen Kenoyer made a steal and
lay-in
for a key basket in the second overtime.
The Bulldogs needed all of that to hold back an Ephrata squad that's used
to winning. The Tigers have now won 48 games and lost twice over the
last two seasons.
Stucky (19 points, eight rebounds, five blocked shots), Cagle (18 points,
six rebounds), Dale Hagy (12 points), and Ron Howes (11
points) took turns bringing Ephrata back in the game.
"We had enough opportunities, enough chances," said Ephrata
coach Marty O'Brien. "I thought the kids played hard,
they just didn't play smart.
"Right now, we just have to make sure we come back and play our game
Saturday."
| Cashmere (15-8)
- Johnson 21, Day 10, Paine 12, Kenoyer 4, Milner 20, Grams . |
| Ephrata (23-1)
- O'Brien, Hagy 12, Stuckey 19, Cagle 18, Hewitt 6, R. Howes 11,
Whallon. |
| Cashmere |
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20 |
31---39 |
48---55 |
61---67 |
| Ephrata |
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18 |
28---37 |
48---55 |
61---66 |
| Officials:
George Webster & Stan Evenhus |
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