Union's Kody Holcomb, left, shoots the ball Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, during the Titans’ 67-40 at Battle Ground High School. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Close games haven’t been kind to the Union boys basketball team so far this season.
All of the Titans’ losses have been decided by five points or less, and that trend continued Wednesday when they suffered a 61-58 defeat at home against West Valley of Yakima.
Union (3-5) battled in the final three minutes as the lead changed hands four times, with a pair of go-ahead 3-pointers from Union’s Daniel Kirichenko and Nick Burchett. But the Rams closed the game out at the free-throw line with two makes from Parker Mills, who had a game-high 31 points, and the Titans’ game-tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds missed.
“We just have to play better as a team at the end, because throughout the game we played really well as a team,” said Burchett, who scored 27 points to pace Union. “… At the end we didn’t play hero ball, we just started playing less as a team.”
For a new-look Union roster that graduated four starters from last season, along with welcoming a new head coach in Garold Howe, the Titans are still learning how to navigate those consequential crunch time minutes. They faced similar scenarios in losses to Mountain View, Stadium, Graham-Kapowsin, and more recently, a 49-47 loss to Battle Ground in their 4A Greater St. Helens League opener Dec. 15.
“For our group it’s real simple: everybody is new together and not a lot of kids that have been on the floor together at the end of ball games,” Howe said. “For me specifically I’m looking at this thing one game at a time and I’m like, we’ve gotta score the ball at the end of games. … The defense is doing its job; we just haven’t executed or made a big play at the end of games.
“It’s a learning (moment) for our guys, but I think more importantly, getting them experience and letting them play, seeing what we can do geared toward the end of the year, because like I said, our defense is doing the job.”
Howe became just the third head coach in program history when he was hired in the offseason. Maco Hamilton was the first when the school opened in 2007 and led the Titans to their only state title in 2010. Blake Conley succeeded Hamilton in 2013 and oversaw eight straight appearances at the state tournament before stepping down at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Howe comes from a college background, having coached at Warner Pacific in Portland for 11 seasons, including six as associate head coach. But the idea of coaching high school-aged kids at a powerhouse program, no less, appealed to him.
“I feel like I’m not just a basketball coach; there’s a lot of different roles in there that is needed for a high school basketball coach, but I signed up for it for that reason,” Howe said. “I have a background in social work and I love working with kids. … I’m not here to help these kids play college basketball; I’m here to help them become young men. So, keeping it in perspective, even when you’re losing close ball games, it’s like, at the end of the day that’s what I’m here for.”
In some ways, the timing of a coaching transition makes sense for the program. The roster turned over at the end of last season with an outgoing senior class led by Yanni Fassilis, and one starter, junior Kody Holcomb, returning this year. It’s a fresh start for a new coaching staff and group of players who are either stepping into larger roles from last year, or brand new to varsity.
On Wednesday, Union started Holcomb, Burchett, a junior, plus seniors Nolan Frazier, Paxton Heitsch and Grayson Stanley.
“It’s been really cool,” Burchett said. “Coach has been giving all of us a lot of opportunities. He’s a very good coach and he’s helped us to grow as players. Last year, I wouldn’t be doing what I am this year, and he’s definitely helped me and all of us come into our own and play as best as we can.”
While the Titans have lamented the close losses, there’s also optimism they’re on the verge of a breakthrough. They’ll have another opportunity some 24 hours later when they travel to face Kentwood on Thursday night.
“We just gotta stay together,” Burchett said. “Win or loss, we learn, and we’re gonna be together through every game, every win, every loss. We gotta learn from the losses and just get better.”
WEST VALLEY-YAKIMA 61, UNION 58
WEST VALLEY — Kailer Valdovinos 2, Parker Hill 5, Isiah Currie 0, Landon Birley 11, Brandt Kneisler 3, Parker Mills 31, Logan Bremerman 9. Totals 23 (5) 10-13 61.
UNION — Nolan Frazier 5, Paxton Heitsch 3, Grayson Stanley 3, Drew Hill 5, Kody Holcomb 12, Noah Jones 0, Nick Burchett 27, Daniel Kirichenko 3. Totals 23 (9) 3-5 58.
W.Valley 15 12 14 20—61
Union 18 11 12 17—58
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