YAKIMA – The Columbia River boys basketball team’s season came to an end Friday with a 47-40 loss to Clarkston in the 2A state tournament consolation round at the SunDome.
One day after falling to No. 1 Lynden in the quarterfinals, No. 2 River ends its season at 22-5.
But there are plenty of memories the Chieftains will cherish after the sting of Friday’s loss subsides. River went unbeaten in the 2A Greater St. Helens League, ended the 18-year title reign of Mark Morris and captured the district championship.
“We’ll definitely remember it, especially the district tournament,” senior Caden Dezort said. “Losing last year at Saint Martin’s was crucial and we’ll never forget that. But winning this year was great.”
River loses three starting seniors – Dezort, Evan Dirksen and Jack Armstrong, who all played key roles in the Chieftains reaching the state tournament for two straight years.
That success serves as a guide for returning players such as junior guard Alex Miller.
“It was something really special,” he said. “It’s hard to look forward right now, but next season we’re really going to miss the guys we’re graduating. We’re just going to have to do what we did this year, rebuild as a team and find our new identity.”
Miller and Dirksen got the Chieftains going early. They combined for all 11 points in the first quarter, which ended with River up by two.
While River keyed on Clarkston’s 6-foot-10 post Brandton Chatfield, holding him to six points, the Chieftains were caught off guard by the Bantams’ outside shooting. Clarkston ended the first half on a 16-3 run, hitting four 3-pointers, to take a 27-19 lead into halftime.
“We tried to key on their big guy,” Dezort said. “If they beat us from the outside, we’ll have to live with that.”
The Chieftains trailed by as many as 13- points in the third quarter, but pulled within 36-30 headed to the fourth.
But the Chieftains couldn’t make shots down the stretch and were forced to foul. Clarkston’s Tru Allen, who scored 22 points, made seven free throws in the final 2:42 to protect the lead.
Dirksen scored 15 points and Dezort added nine for the Chieftains, who shot 38.5 percent and were outrebounded 30-20.
Clarkston (17-8) advances to the fourth-place game against No. 3 North Kitsap on Saturday morning.
CLARKSTON 47, COLUMBIA RIVER 40
CLARKSTON (17-8) – Christian Robbins 0, Tru Allen 22, Alex Italia 0, Austin Roueche 3, Gus Hagestad 16, Max Johnson 0, Brandon Chatfield 6. Totals 15 (6) 11-16 47.
COLUMBIA RIVER (22-5) – Nate Snook 2, Alex Miller 8, Matt Asplund 0, Evan Dirksen 15, Caden Dezort 9, Jack Armstrong 4, Marc Miranda 2, Cole Delich 0. Totals 15 (6) 4-6 40.
Col.River 9 18 9 11—47
Clarkston 11 8 11 10—40
