Heppner G azette-Tim es, Heppner, Oregon
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - FIVE
Cardinals take second in Big Sky District Championship
The lone C ardi
nals had the Big Sky Dis
trict Championship in their
sights in one fantastic a ball
game on Saturday, Febru
ary 20, before Nixyawii
picked up a long rebound
and swished an even longer
three at the buzzer to take
the win 59-57. The heart
breaking loss culminated
an exciting tournament run
for the Cardinals w ho won
games on Thursday and
Friday before ending up
second place in the Big Sky
on Saturday.
The Cards kicked
off the district tournament
taking on Horizon Christian
of Hood River on Thursday,
February 18. In the first
half, the lone team sizzled
with Matt Hams scoring 20
of his game high 26 points
and Zac Orem knocking
down four three pointers
and scoring 14 points. At
the half, lone led 38-26 and
looked ready to run away
with it. But the Hawks
were not quite ready to
concede. In the third quar
ter, Horizon was matching
Zac Orem three-pointer for
three-pointer. With 3:10
left in the third, the Hawks
hit a three to pull within
four points and followed
with another bucket to nar
row the lead further, 45-
43. In the last 40 seconds.
Tanner Rietmann hit a shot
and Zac Orem hit his sixth
trey of the game and put
the lead back to seven, 50-
43. The Cards led by nine
early in the fourth but the
Hawks chipped away at the
lead and when lone went
stone cold at the free throw
line (1-9 in the fourth) the
Hawks got to within one
57-56 with 22 seconds on
the clock. Adam Collin
and Zac Orem went to the
line for two shots each and
Orem was able to put one
down to make the lead a
tad more stable at 58-56.
The Hawks worked to get
one shot off in the closing
seconds but it was way off
and the Cardinals hung on
to win 58-56.
Matt Hams led all
scorers with 26 and Zac
Orem added 23. The Cards
shot 44% from the floor and
the Hawks shot 49% for the
game.
“This as a great
win to get to open district,”
said Coach Dennis Stefani.
“Matt and Zac each had a
huge first half to give us
a good lead at halftime.
Once again, our free throw
shooting almost cost us but
we were able to hold on for
the win.”
The win sent the
Cards to the semi-finals
where they met the number
one team from the Big Sky
West, South Wasco County.
For the past five years,
South Wasco has been a
basketball nemesis for the
Cardinals and their ranking
as well as sharp-shooter,
Steven Larlee commanded
respect again this season,
lone jumped out to a 14-
11 first quarter lead but
stalled a bit in the second.
The Redsides led 21-19 at
the half. The Cards were
able to bust things open in
the third. RJ Ramos had
his best quarter this season
when he went on a 10 point
scoring rampage, canning
two threes in a row and
following up with two more
baskets. Zac Orem hit back
to back threes in the last two
minutes of the quarter as
the Cards outscored South
Wasco 21 to 8 to build a
40-29 lead heading into the
fourth. Down the stretch,
the teams swapped scores
before Matt Hams hit back-
to-back layins off steals to
build the gam e’s biggest
lead, 50-35 with just over
three minutes to play. But
Larlee did not allow the
Cards to coast to the win as
•
i
The lone Cardinals took second place at Big Sky District Tournament this past weekend.
-Photo by Theresa Crawford
ball that set up Nixyaawii
for the winning shot at
the buzzer,” noted Coach
Stefani. “I’m very proud
of the kids. We are playing
very good basketball right
now.”
Matt Hams led the
team with 22 points, very
close to his amazing season
average of 22.7 points per
game. Tanner Rietmann had
a big game in the paint with
14 points and 16 rebounds.
Rietm ann averaged 8.3
boards per game.
The C ards shot 43%
compared to Nixyaawii’s
36% but they had to combat
ten three-pointers from the
Golden Eagles. The Cards
had just II turnovers and
the Eagles had just nine,
meaning not many mistakes
happened in the game. The
Cards had an outstanding
rebounding night, tallying
50 boards to just 25 for
Nix. Adam Collin helped
out Tanner Rietmmann with
11 boards and RJ Ramos
added eight.
he almost single-handedly it was clear the Cards were Dennis Stefani. “Both teams
drug the Redsides back into determined to not let the played hard and it was a
contention. Back-to-back high-flying Golden Eagles game that could have gone
threes with under 1:30 to go get away. Throughout the either way.”
put the Redsides within six game, Nixyaawii's lead was
Although the loss
points but the Cards stayed never more than four and was heartbreaking for the
cool to take the 52-45 win. lone held the biggest lead team on the floor, the stand
Zac Orem led the in the game at eight with ing room only crowd in
team in scoring with 19 2:49 left in the third. It was attendance knew they had
points, shooting 50% from at that point, though, that it seen something special.
the field and canning four started to rain three pointers “At the end, it was a long
three-pointers. Matt Hams for Nixyaawii. The Eagles rebound and a bounce of the
added 15 and RJ Ramos hit six treys in a row on
had 10. The team shot 48% their way to eight three’s
from the floor while the in the last quarter and a
Redsides managed 38%. half, some easily from NBA
Tanner Rietmann had nine range. With 37 seconds left
lone Se
rebounds but the Cards were in the game, the Eagles nior Matt Hams
hit a long three to go up won the Jason
out-rebounded 32-26.
“What a great win 56-54. Zac Orem, who had Halvorsen Spirit
for this team,” said an ec struggled from long range o f B a s k e t b a l l
static Coach Dennis Ste in this game, knocked down aw ard. Each year,
fani. “These kids wanted fo a huge three for the Cardi the award goes to
end South Wasco’s streak nals with 19 seconds on the a boy and a girl
against us so they went clock to put lone up by one. who best exem
out and played a terrific Nix had a final possession plify the spirit of
team game to get it ac and when their first shot basketball. Quali
complished. 1 feel great bounced off, the lone crowd ties considered are Pictured is Matt Hams with Cathy Hal-
for the seniors s they now held their breath. A long spirit floor lead- vorsen. -Photo by Theresa Crawford
realize they are in the state rebound put the ball back ership, selfless
in the hands ofNixyaawii’s ness, contribution
playoffs.”
and to our school and it
The win guaran Shawn Simpson who hit the and sportsmanship. Janelle means a lot to me. I am
teed the Cards either the shot of his life, a long-range Keever of Dufur also re excited and grateful to have
number one or two seed three point swish at the ceived the award.
my name on the plaque in
into the state playoffs, de buzzer to give Nixyaawii
“It is a very big our trophy case honoring
pending on the outcome the w in.
honor to receive the Ja Jason.”
“This was one of son Halvorsen ‘Spirit of
of the championship game
This is the second
against Nixyaawii, staged the best basketball games Basketball’ award,” stated time in 15 years that the
Saturday night February I have been part of during Matt Hams. “I know what award has made its way
20. From the opening tip. my tenure here," said Coach it means to the community home to lone.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Hams receives Jason Halvorsen
Spirit of Basketball award
imply T he B est
Back Row-Asst. Coach Jim Swanson, Kevin LaRue, Alex Fetterhoff, Zac Orem, Adam Collin, Christian Cederquist, Tanner Rietmann, Matt Hams, Evan Rietmann, R.J. Ramos, Head Coach Dennis Stefani
Front Row-Alex Rietmann, Micah Stillman, Marco Juarez. Not Pictured-Gunner Jessen
A
$6
H o s a n n a C hristian a t I one
$4
W ednesday , F ebruary 2 4 th 6 :0 0
B usiness &- I ndividuals wish to say "C ongratulations C ardinals "
S tate P layoff
G ame
T hese
2Morrow Energy
Allstott Construction, LLC
B P0E #358 Elks Lodge
Bank of Eastern Oregon
Boardman Foods, Inc.
Columbia Basin Electric Coopera
tive. Inc.
Dances With Mules
Dean s Pendleton Athletic Company
Devin Oil Company, Inc
Dobyns Pest Control
Eastern Oregon Orthopaedic
Gar Aviation. Inc.
Hale Farms. LLC
Heppner Family Foods
WT. LLC
lone Market and Deli
Gregory Jones, DMD
J Keithley Construction
»
dults
children
Les Schwab Tire Center
Lexington Auto Body & Towing
Lexington Pump
Mark Bruno Construction
Mike's Mobile Slaughter & Processing
Morrow County Fair and Rodeo
Morrow County Grain Growers
Morrow County Recreation District
Murray s Drug and Country Rose
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
P2L Excavating, LLC
Pea Ridge Embroidery & Signs Inc
Pendleton Grain Growers. Inc.
Peterson's Jewelers
Pettyjohn's Farm & Builder s Supply
Ramos Brothers Ranches. Inc.
Seitz Aviation
Sherrell Chevrolet
The Stable of Youth
Sykes Publishing, LLC
V & D Construction
Wheatland Insurance Center. Inc
Woolery House
Perry and Anne Alleman
Allen and Nancy Anderson
Mark and Melisa Bruno Family
Loyal and Betty Bums
Michael and Deanna Camp Family
Louis and Betty Carlson
John and Barb Collin Family
Helen Crawford
June M Crowell
Becky Doherty
Bnan and Peg Doherty Family
Darrell and Paula Emmel Family
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Betty Gray
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Wayne and Dianna Hams
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Helen M Heideman
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J. L Kincaid Ranch
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Rocking T Ranch
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