Finn LaPointe leads shorthanded Freeman past Napavine | State B boys basketball

Throughout the boys basketball season, the Freeman Scotties dealt with a series of injuries and absences, shortening what was already a shorter rotation than the group that reached the 2B State championship game a year ago.

So when earlier this week the Scotties learned they would be without one of their starters, the team’s reaction was “on to the next,” senior forward Logan Schultz said.

“Stuff happens. You’ve got to fight through adversity,” Schultz said. “It doesn’t give us an out at all.”

Just six players entered for the 10th-seeded Scotties in their first-round game against No. 7 Napavine on Wednesday night at Spokane Arena, but led by senior Finn LaPointe, those six had enough energy to outlast the Tigers for a 58-47 victory.

The Tigers (19-7) were eliminated from the State 2B boys basketball bracket. The Scotties (17-9) advanced into the quarterfinals to play No. 1 seed Colfax (24-0) at 5:30 p.m.

“We’ve battled, and it sounds bad to say but, (it’s been) another injury or another guy sick or another guy missing all season,” said Freeman head coach Kyle Olson, whose son, sophomore Micah Olson, will miss the rest of the tournament with an injury he suffered earlier this week. “I think it helped us in this situation.”

LaPointe scored 31 points – two shy of his season-high – and grabbed 10 rebounds to record a double-double for the Scotties. He made 12 of 21 shots overall, including 4 of 5 3-point attempts. He also had four steals, three blocks, an assist and nine turnovers as the Scotties ran their offense through him.

“He’s grown a tremendous amount as a leader and in his maturity and his composure,” Olson said of LaPointe. “It’s been a growing process, but he’s really embraced that.”

Senior Micah Hodges added 18 points and finished 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. Schultz added two points, freshman Madox Hodges had five, and sophomore Johnny Mendenhall rounded out Freeman’s scoring with two points to go with 12 rebounds.

Freeman led 26-16 at half, but Napavine got back into the game with an 18-8 run to start the third quarter. That tied it at 34. Two minutes into the fourth quarter, sophomore Layton Griffith made a 2 inside to give the Tigers a 42-40 lead.

But the Tigers went the next five minutes without a basket, and over that span the Scotties went on a 15-0 run to get clear of the Tigers.

“We just kept our composure and didn’t get down on ourselves,” LaPointe said. “We just kept playing our game, kept being physical and getting to the cup.”

Griffith led the Tigers with 13 points; sophomore Eric Bullock added 12 points and five assists.

Thursday’s matchup will be the fourth this season between Colfax and Freeman. The Bulldogs won the previous three by 19, 30 and 21 points.

This story will be updated.

Class 2B boys

(3) Okanogan 60, (11) Mount Vernon Christian 51: Wadyn Brown scored 22 points and the Bulldogs (20-4) eliminated the Hurricanes (21-5) in a State 2B Round-of-12 game. Owen Carlson grabbed 15 rebounds for Mount Vernon Christian.

Okanogan faces fifth-seeded Tri-Cities Prep in a quarterfinal game on Thursday at 3:45 p.m.

Class 1B boys

(6) Liberty Christian 71, (11) Muckleshoot Tribal 38: Ryker Wageman made 11 baskets scoring 25 points and the Patriots (23-3) eliminated the Kings (21-6) in a State 1B Round-of-12 game. Rylee Markantonatos led Muckleshoot with 14 points, Payton Brown added 13 points and seven rebounds.

Liberty Christian faces fourth-seeded DeSales in a quarterfinal game on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.

(7) Neah Bay 74, (10) Sunnyside Christian 58: Tyler Swan scored 20 points and the Red Devils (19-6) eliminated the Knights (20-8) in a State 1B Round-of-12 game. Jake Smeenk led Sunnyside Christian with 21 points.

Neah Bay faces top-seeded Lummi Nation in a quarterfinal game on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

(5) Moses Lake Covenant Christian 47, (12) Touchet 45: Johnathan Ferguson had 24 points, a dozen rebounds and the Lions (20-3)eliminated the Redhawks (16-9) in a State 1B Round-of-12 game.

Moses Lake Covenant Christian faces third-seeded Tulalip Heritage in a quarterfinal game on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

(17) Columbia Adventist 57, (8) Wahkiakum 52: Evan Akrawi had 15 points, eight rebounds and the Kodiaks (19-7) eliminated the Mules (17-8) in a State 1B Round-of-12 game. Parker Leitz led Wahkiakum with 30 points.

Columbia Adventist faces second-seeded Almira/Coulee-Hartline in a quarterfinal game on Thursday at 2:00 p.m.