Ferris rallies past Shadle for title

KENNEWICK – Staring at the possibility of the demise of their State 4A-record winning streak, the Ferris Saxons showed again why this has been a special basketball team.

They trailed Shadle Park by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter. With 1 minute, 5 seconds left they were behind 67-62.

But somehow, some way, these players of resolve got the game into overtime where they won 79-74 for their 54th straight victory and third straight Eastern 4A regional title.

It had to be one of the best finals in tournament history, and certainly ranked high for pace and brilliance of performance.

The outcome came down to one mad full-court dash through a crowd by Shawn Stockton, whose layin with 2 seconds remaining in regulation following a Robby Douglas free throw gave Ferris a reprieve.

“We’ve never been down that much that late in a game,” said Stockton, who scored 15 points and was one of a litany of players on both teams who came up big. “It just shows we don’t quit.”

The Saxons had their way early, scoring the last 10 points of the first quarter, four apiece by game scoring leader DeAngelo Casto, who led first-half scoring, and Jeff Minnerly.

But Shadle wiped out most of the 15-7 deficit and trailed by four at intermission.

The second half is when the fireworks erupted. The Highlanders, whose coach, Tim Gaebe, said Friday that they could play relaxed – content with a state berth assured – did so and put on a 3-point shooting display.

The Highlanders made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the second half, four by Zack Humphrey. They scored the final 12 points of the third quarter, erasing a 39-30 deficit to lead 47-43.

Ferris and Shadle swapped 3-pointers on four successive possessions in the final period before Anthony Brown, who scored 21 points, tallied twice and Humphrey made two free throws for a 60-51 advantage with 4:30 remaining.

Humphrey, who scored a game-high 27 points, hit 9 of 10 from the line in the final period.

Casto, who scored 22, and had some thunderous dunks, said his stomach was marinating.

Jared Karstetter, who finished with 18, said he thought his Saxons were going to lose when he saw the nine-point deficit.

But that is when Ferris willed its comeback.

“They caught fire and couldn’t miss, but we battled back,” Stockton said.

That Shadle missed 3 of 6 free throws helped, but the Highlanders also made 11 of 14 down the stretch.

Stockton scored twice and the lead was pared to a basket with 2:15 left. After Shadle went back up by five, Karstetter hit a 3-pointer in traffic. Minnerly weaved his way through a crowd for a layin, setting up Stockton’s coast-to-coast score.

In overtime, Erick Cheadle, who had eight rebounds in regulation, pulled down his ninth on a missed Ferris free throw and scored to put the Saxons ahead for the first time in nearly 11 minutes. Ferris survived.

“They’re good, they’re really good,” said Humphrey with a tip of his cap.

Ferris coach Don Van Lierop said that his team had plenty of time and never hit the panic button.

“They just have that moxie, that something extra,” he said. “It was different guys at different times. I’m proud of them.”

Then he offered up one final observation.

“Shadle is very good. I’m glad they’re going to state,” he said. “They’re very deserving and will do well.”

Eisenhower 65, University 53: A turnover basket with 1:17 left in the game signaled the end of the season for the Titans.

U-Hi (11-15) trailed 57-53 at the time and had a chance to draw closer before Jordan Gaut’s steal and layin.

U-Hi rallied with outside shooting from an 18-11 first-quarter deficit to lead 23-22. The Titans gave up the final seven points of the half as Ike committed to working inside.

Tyler Berman’s three-point play put Ike up 53-45, and he made all seven of his free throws down the stretch to secure victory.

Mason Johnson scored 14 points for U-Hi.