River impressive in first 2A district title win

LACEY — Black Hills boys basketball coach Jeff Gallagher knows a state title-caliber team when he sees one.

He coached Valley Catholic High School to the 2007 Oregon 3A boys basketball state championship, and no doubt after Friday’s 75-40 victory by Columbia River in the 2A boys Southwest District title game, he believes the Chieftains are for real.

“They’ve got all the tools,” Gallagher said. “… I’d be shocked if they’re not playing on the last night in Yakima.”

And so many of those tools were on display at Saint Martin’s University on Friday night, leading by as many as 39 points in the second half. The win is the largest margin of victory by a district title-winning team dating back to the first year of the tournament under the WIAA’s six-classification format in 2007.

It’s also the Chieftains’ first district title in Class 2A. The program never won a bi-district title in 4A or 3A under longtime coach David Long when it was part of the West Central/Southwest bi-district in Class 4A or 3A.

The Chieftains, champions of the 2A Greater St. Helens League, have put up impressive wins all season, but perhaps nothing like Friday against the 2A Evergreen Conference champions. So many of River’s players were part of last season’s 50-49 district title loss to Mark Morris.

They didn’t want a repeat feat going into regionals.

“We’ll never forget that,” said Caden Dezort, who had eight points. “And we wanted to make a statement by going into state with a win.”

Friday, the Chieftains led from start to finish, hit eight of their 11 3-pointers in the first half and had a 32-point lead midway through the third quarter.

Senior Evan Dirksen had 32 points, one better than his previous career-high of 31. Twenty-seven of those points came over the second and third quarters, including River’s first seven points of the third quarter when River led 55-20.

Dirksen is now averaging better than 24 points per game over his past nine games, and what made Friday’s result seem so elementary started with River’s defense leading to transition points on the other end.

“We got a lot of stops,” the senior said, “and that resulted on offense. We got a lot of good looks and knocked shots down.”

Black Hills hadn’t played for a district title since its only other appearance in 2011. Gallagher said he hoped to take away one of River’s strengths: perimeter shooting. He called River th best team the Wolves have faced all season.

“They came out,” the coach said, “and proved us wrong.”

Nate Snook added 17 for the Chieftains, and Alex Miller joined Dezort with eight points. Alex Kukula hit two 3s off the bench in the second half for his six points.