February 9, 1978 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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February 9, 1978 |
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Derail co-leaders in 52-50 OT thriller
I
Climbe
They had to go into overtime
to do it, but the league-leading
Shelton Highclinlbers escaped
victorious from the Grizzly den
Tuesday.
The long-awaited battle of
division leaders, both 9-1 going
into the game, ended 52-50.
Climber junior Mike Ashley
skied for four clutch rebounds
and scored two points in
overtime and teammates Stan
Bourgault and Bruce Dorcy
converted pressure-packed
freethrows to ice it after one of
tile more evenly played - if less
than artistic - BHL contests this
year.
The game started on a stutter
step and really never did loosen
up completely. In the first
quarter alone, the usually
fast-break.e fficient Grizzlies
turned the ball over four times
on traveling violations. And the
Climbers, for their part, seemed
to be auditioning for a part in a
wax museum.
Credit two flexible defensive
wi,n in Hoquiam
ttoquiam came back to tie it
at 45, largely on the strength of
sharpshooting guard Keith
Anderson's two 25-foot jumpers
- the second one tying the game
with a minute to go -- and the
clock was set at three minutes
for overtime.
Junior forward-center Mike
Ashley, pressed into action only
three games back after a
disciplinary suspension cost him
the first half of the season,
swatted the opening tipoff down
to teammate Dorcy, and 6-5
Grizzly Brian Sundquist nearly
tore the 5-10 guard's arm off
trying to get the ball.
Bruce hit both ends of the
one-and-one and Shelton was up
47-45.
Following a missed lay-in by
Hoquiam and a charging-foul
turnover by the Climber,
Grizzly Sundquist got free inside
for a curl-in at 1:55 and it was
all tied up.
Twenty seconds later Ashley
powered inside on an
outstanding individual effort and
units, sure • but the plain and
simple truth is, as Climber Coach
Terry .Gregg put it after the
game, "It was no masterpiece for
either team."
Actually, in spite of the lack
of movement on both sides, the
play was not sloppy. Neither was
the difference in statistics
appreciable.
Shelton shot 20-50 from the
floor to Hoquiam's 19-48. The
Climbers turned the ball over 13
times, the Grizzlies 16. Each
team grabbed 11 rebounds in the
first half and 14 in the second.
Shelton hit 12-17 freethrows and
Hoquiam 12-18. The Climbers
amassed four assists to the hosts'
five.
And the conflict was as
nip-and-tuck as the stats would
indicate. Hoquiam's biggest lead,
manufactured late in a very
sluggish first quarter, was four
points, at 6-2. Shelton's biggest
margin, with 3:36 remaining in
regulation time, was five points,
at 42-37.
Surprising Tumwater falls
under poised SHS rally
The Shelton Highclimbers
ignored the third-quarter blahs
last Friday, reversed what could
have been a good excuse for
collapsing under pressure and
powered away to a 63-52 BHL
victory over visiting Tumwater.
Outscored 11-0 over one
stretch of the third period, when
their nine-point halftime lead
fizzled and momentarily
disappeared, the Climbers
parlayed outstanding composure
and a slight height advantage to
regain a healthy margin and
preserve it for their ninth league
victory against just one defeat.
The T-Birds, led by 6-3
forwards Jim Brittain and Jeff
Nunn and 6-5 center Frank
TOurney here
this Saturday
Groundwater, moved ahead
14-11 in the early goings of the
second period and appeared to
be a lot stronger than their 2-7
record might have indicated.
But Shelton called upon its
increasingly balanced attack and
steadily pulled into the lead, and
at the half the defending champs
were up 30-21.
A Climber technical for
touching the rim on a T-Bird
shot early in the third period
touched off an ll-point
explosion by the visitors. Five
points came quickly, with the
three-point play resulting from
the technical and then a long
banker by Brittain on the
ensuing in-bounds play all
coming before the Climbers so
much as saw the ball again.
• l.mitin$ ,th hosts.t.o us, t
ofie' shot on 'bffbnse where earlier
Shelton had managed'two and
even three, the T-Birds finally
drew even, at 32, with 3:39 left
in the period.
But then Shelton juniors Les
Smith and Mike Ashley,
demonstrating more and more
confidence and effectiveness as
Coach Terry Gregg has increased
their Playing time, canned two
and one hoop, respectively;
guard Bruce Dorcy hit a pair of
long casts and ignited a couple
of deft buckets inside on assists
to junior Todd Young, and
suddenly the Climbers' lead was
back to double figures.
Coach Gregg was particularly
pleased again with the steady
play of senior guard Stan
Bourgault, whose leadership and
calm demeanor against a fierce
T-Bird press keyed the Climbers'
Success.
The hosts committed only
seven turnovers all game,
exceedingly few in any game but
especially so in one where the
opposition employed a full-court
press almost from the opening
tipoff.
Balanced scoring, too, was
apparent, as Young led with 13
points, Smith' added ten, Dorcy
and Ashley nine, Bourgault and
Jim O'Dell eight, and Brian
Martin six. Gary Orr saw limited
action and did not score.
For Tumwater, it was
Groundwater with 16 leading the
way, while Kyle Shaner and
Brittain added 12 each and Nunn
seven.
The hosts shot .462 from the
floor on 24-52 while Tumwater
countered with 21-54, or .389.
The Climbers converted 15-22
from the freethrow line as
opposed to the T-Birds' 10-14.
--Pool---
The Minidome pool will
be closed to public swimming
between 1 and 3 p.m.
Saturday during the Climbers'
hosting of the Black Hills
subdistrict swim meet there.
The evening swimming
session will be held as
scheduled, however.
CLIMBER SPIRIT WEEK royalty poses after selection Friday by vote of
the SHS student body. They are, clockwise from upper left, senior Cathy
Ruddell, senior Spirit Week Queen JoAnn Krogh, freshman Holly
Danielson, senior Kathi Rogerson, junior Vicki White and sophomore Kelly
Byrne. The event, which culminated in last Friday's coronation, was the
first of what is expected to become an annual affair at the high school.
Mason County's annual
Junior Basketball Tournament
will be held this Saturday from
noon to 6 p.m. in Shelton High's
Minidome.
Local teams competing in the
tournament will be grade-school
league champ Mt. View,
Evergreen, Bordeaux and Hood
Canal. Olympia teams featured
will include the Washington
Bulldogs and Pioneer of Oly, last
year's champ.
Admission is free and there
will be a concession stand.
Trophies will be awarded
immediately following the
championship game.
Page 18 - Shelton-Mas0n County Journal - Thursday, February 9, 1978
made it 49-47. Hoquiam's
Anderson, deadly all night,
finally missed .one of his
patented bombs, and Ashley tied
up Griz'zly Doug Clay on the
rebound.
Again in the jump-ball circle,
where he has been nigh on
unbeatable, Ashley tipped to
teammate Stan Bourgault and
the Climbers had an opportunity
to run out the clock with a
two-point lead.
But with just 45 seconds left,
Bourgault committed himself
inside and had to force up an
awkward shot. It bounced on the
rim and came out to Hoquiam's
Clay.
Back on offense, the
Grizzlies set up guard Anderson
for one of his long jumpers.
Keith cast off - and missed.
Brad Pocklington came down
with an offensive board and got
fouled by Climber Todd Young,
whereupon the veteran Grizzly
hit one of his two freethrows.
When the second one
bounced high off the rim, who
should be there to vacuum it in
but Shelton's Ashley.
But the excitement wasn't
over by a long shot. The
Grizzlies promptly sent Climber
Bourgault to the freethrow line
with a one-and-one opportunity.
A mis, with 26 seconds still
showing, would give the hosts
the chance they needed.
Stan's first shot bounced
three times on the rim - and
dropped through. His second
touched nothing but the bottom
of the net.
Ten seconds later, Hoquiam's
Clay shoved back an offensive
rebound to make it a one-point
deficit again, and then with 11
seconds to go the Grizzlies again
fouled Bourgauit.
This time Stan's shot, the
would-be killing blow as far as
Hoquiam was concerned, was
short off the rim. Grizzly Clay
had positioning and what
appeared to be sole possession of
the rebound, but somehow
Climber Ashley managed to get
his hands on it too and forced a
jump ball. , .
Again Ashley got the tip to
Dorcy, and again the hosts did
the only thing they could with
time running out. Bruce hit the
first end of the one-and-one and,
though he missed the second, it
was all over.
Grizzly Sundquist got off an
awkward five-footer with two
seconds left, but it dribbled off
the rim and into the arms of --
you guessed it - Ashley.
For Shelton, it was
unqestionably the sweetest
victory of the year. Always
tough at home, Hoquiam was a
bona fide league power this year
and, as a relieved Coach Gregg of
the Climbers put it in the
postgame locker room, "It's
always nice to beat 'era here."
For Ashley, the game
represented perhaps a return to
form after his long absence. Mike
hauled down a game-high 12
rebounds - ten of them in the
second half- and scored 11
points on 5-1 i from the field.
"He's beginning to get into
his game," agreed Gregg.
The coach was also pleased
with the continued fine play of
guard Bourgault, who led both
teams with 15 points. The 6-2
senior was almost singlehandedly
responsible for Shelton's staying
in the game in the third period,
when Stan hit four of four shots
and controlled what little tempo
there was in the game, and
overall he made 5-11 shots and
grabbed four rebounds.
"Stan played another good
floor game," said Gregg. "He
played very confidently out
there, and in the third quarter
particularly that was really what
kept us together."
Climber forward Young had
an active second period, with ten
points in the eight-minute
stretch, and finished with 12 on
the night. 'Dorcy added eight,
Jim O'Dell four and Les Smith
two. Gary Orr played a
nonscoring role.
For Hoquiam, Clay led with
12 points and eight .rebounds.
Sundquist added 11 and six
boards while Anderson
contributed ten points.
With only five games
remaining before district, Shelton
has a commanding two-game lead
over the rest of the pack and is a
shoo-in. Next action is this
Friday against the winless
Tornadoes in Yelm. Tipoff is 8
p.m.
CLIMBER MIKE ASHLEY battles under the boards in Friday's win over
Tumwater. The 6-4 junior scored nine points in that game and then cal
back to can 11 and grab a game-high 12 rebounds to lead
h
league-leaders: 'ta 52-50 overtime win in Hoquiam Tuesday night. No.
of Tumwater is Jim Brittain.
Climbers trip T-Bird contenders
SHS gal cagers near playoff ber
Timberline were Strutz' two The Climbers played 2-12 in the Minidome.
points and one by Ann Brooks. Yelm Wednesday. A victory The Climber jayvees lost
Others seeing action but not there would have assured a narrowly and widely the past
scoring were Youhg, Sandquist, playoff berth. However, the week, edged by Capital 37.31
Kelly Byme, Karen Evankovich, results of that game were not and clobbered by Timberline
Standley and Shannon Byrne. available at press time. Next 56-27.
Timberline's Lynn Monday they host 13-1 Centralia Pat Eichinger led the way
Vermillion, the league's and then it's on to district at with 13 points in the first game
number-two scorer with an TumwaterFebruary 17.
average of 17 points per game, Regionals will be held right
was hounded by Cole all night here in Shelton February 24-25.
and held to 13. Game one will tip off at 7 p.m.
Sophs power
and 12 in the
Kelly Byrne hit for
two, Sharleen
four, and Diana
and seven. Kathy
against the Cougar
Coleman two againS
The Highclimber girls'
basketball team this week took a
gigantic step toward clinching its
first-ever district playoff berth,
downing Timberline there 45-41
Monday night.
The Climbers, now 8-6 and
one full game ahead of
Timberline in the battle for
Division Two's third playoff
spot, were led once again by the
stellar guard combo of Cathy
Cole and Marci Allen.
Junior Cole, the league's
runaway scoring leader at better
than 27 points a game, equalled
her average Monday, while
sophomore Allen scored a 41
season-high 15 points and .vr tWO more
directed the flow with precision.
The victory came on the
heels of last Thursday's 49-41
loss to Division Two runner-up
(12-2) Capital, in which the
Climbers roared back with 26
second-half points after trailing
31-15 at the half but couldn't
quite close the gap.
In that game, Cole hit 25
points, Allen eight and Julie
Sandquist, Donna Standley,
Vanessa Strutz and Tammy
Young two each.
Cole had 17 of her game-high
25 points in Shelton's torrid
second-half outburst.
Complementing Cole and
Allen in the big victory at
The Highclimber sophomores
cemented their hold on first
place in the Black Hills this past
week by pasting Tumwater 41.34
and Hoquiam 68-46.
Now 11-2 overall- 10-1
against AA opponents _ the
Climbers used a balanced attack
and continued strong rebounding
to get by both Black Hills foes
without ever really being in
danger.
In the Tumwater contest
Friday, Tad Smith led the way
with 13 points. Rusty Gigstead
added nine, Brad Hargens seven,
Jeff Likes four, John Weber,
Aaron Roberts and Phil Franklin
two and Jon Thomason and Jeff
Raymond one each.
An eight-rebound, five-steal
and 16-point performance by
Franklin paced the Climbers in
Tuesday's game in Hoquiam.
Gigstead added 11 points and
eight rebounds and Hargens
seven points, six rebounds and
five steals. Smith canned nine
points, Roberts eight, Likes six,
Weber and Greg Cole four each
and Dan Vorse three.
Against the Grizzlies, Shelton
turned the ball over 26 times but
countered with a total of 22
assists.
Knight Owls fall to Adna
Adna stars Bob Ayers and Wes Owl forward Jay Rothrock
Floyd were simply too much for scorgd 15 points to complement
the hosts, who shot only .387 game-leader Mak's effort, while
from the floor on 29-75 as Jeff Armstrong added ten,
SOPHOMORE RUSTY GIGSTEAD of
shot in heavy T-Bird traffic last week during
tenth-graders' tenth win against just
Tuesday the Climber sophs added win
victim Hoquiam's sophs. Gigstead scored nin
Tumwater and had ]1 points and eight
the Grizzlies.
Martin Crabtree eight, Dan Cook
ux and Tim Diggle three. Butch
Car? played a nonscoring role for
the hosts.
In the jayvee game, Adna
won 67-35.
The MMK Owls got 25
points from senior center Hans
Mak last Friday but came up on
the short end of an 80.67
contest with visiting league
opponent Adna.
The loss dropped the Owls to
2-6 in league play and for all
intents and purposes eliminated
them from the playoff picture.
The combined 43 points of
compare d to Adna's .485
(33-68).
The victors shot miserably
from the freethrow line,
converting 14-26, but the Owls
managed only 9-15 themselves.