NC captures fifth

TACOMA – Time on the Tacoma Dome clock ticked off the waning moments in the careers of 14 Greater Spokane League senior basketball players, seven apiece for North Central and West Valley, and it came down to this.

The Indians were clinging to a four-point lead over their GSL rival with the ball in the hands of their star, Eric Beal.

Beal made eight straight free throws in the final 1 minute, 38 seconds, securing a 60-52 NC victory Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. The Indians (23-6) won the season series 3-2, leaving the seniors on cloud nine.

NC secured the fifth-place trophy at the State 3A boys basketball tournament, the eighth trophy in school history.

NC’s all-time tournament record is 26-6. Its only state loss this year was 65-64 to O’Dea, which played for its third straight title in the evening.

“It was the perfect way to end it, almost,” said Beal, who finished with 22 points, four assists and three steals. “Look back and we could have won the first game, but getting over that and winning the next three and winning against West Valley, it was a storybook ending.”

The loss was bitter pill for the Eagles seniors, five of whom had experienced joy with a fourth-place finish last year and expected better than eighth place.

But the Eagles (21-6) had to fight through a trying week, including the loss of point guard Arton Toussaint for a quarter because of an ankle injury.

“We had to Super Glue some stuff together – there were broken parts,” said WV coach Jamie Nilles, who before state had thought the team would be a semifinalist. “We scrapped for two pretty big wins.”

Nilles gave full credit to the Indians for their victory, which was a product of timely baskets, solid defense on Tyler Hobbs, and 17-for-28 free-throw shooting.

“NC was on a roll and played good the last couple of games,” Nilles said. “Their best players had good games in a big game.”

Beal and Damal Neil combined for 43 points and were among the tournament’s top scorers with 74 and 68, respectively, for four games.

“To me, it couldn’t happen to two better players,” said NC coach Jay Webber. “You don’t replace those people.”

Neil, without the worry of 6-foot-6 E.J. Richardson, who had been suspended from WV’s team prior to state, scored 14 first-half points and finished the game with 21.

“Without E.J., it was kind of a different game,” Neil said. “The middle was open and I just wanted to give these guys a win.”

Although the Eagles hung around, NC twice opened up seven-point leads in the second half, thanks in part to another senior, Nathan Hood, who had three clutch baskets.

From there it was left to Beal to ice things with his perfect free-throw shooting.

Hobbs scored 13 points to finish with 66 in the tourney. But it was clearly not one of his better days.

“It’s been an outstanding year for us,” Webber said, “because we’d never been to state before and there’s always a seed of doubt in your mind if it’s going to happen.

“A lot of kids in their own way made contributions at one time or another. To play on Saturday was really nice. To win on Saturday was even nicer.”