SPORTS
A11 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAy, JANuARy 9, 2019
BASKETBALL
Richland, Kamiakin get
the best of Hermiston
Viking boys
claim day one
of Salem tourney
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
By BRETT KANE
EAST OREGONIAN
What started out as a runaway
game for Hermiston on Friday
night, ended with Richland apply-
ing the emergency brake.
The Bombers, who trailed 33-19
at the half, outscored Hermiston
46-28 in the second half to eke out
a 65-61 victory over the Bulldogs
at the Dawg House.
“At the beginning of the game,
I said it would come down to who
controlled the tempo of the game,”
Hermiston coach Juan Rodriguez
said. “In the first half, we were
excited to play. In the second half,
we played at their tempo, and their
defense caused havoc. Our inexpe-
rience showed.”
Richland, which never took the
lead for good until the final 20 sec-
onds of the game, went out front
52-50 midway through the fourth
quarter, its first lead since 4-3.
“I think the big thing, is after
the half we came out with confi-
dence and hit some shots,” Rich-
land coach Hayley Middleton said.
“We have some good talent, it’s
getting them to use it.”
There were four ties in the
fourth quarter, the last being at
61-61 after Hermiston’s Jazlyn
Romero hit a pair of free throws.
From there, Richland’s Emily
Garza hit a shot with 20 seconds to
play, and Jayda Clark hit a pair of
free throws to finish off the game.
Romero had 10 of her game-
high 21 points in the first half for
the Bulldogs (4-6 overall, 2-4
MCC), including seven in the sec-
ond quarter.
Hermiston led by as many as 17
points in second, but a 3-pointer
by Jordyn Clark with seconds to
play before the half made the score
33-19.
In the the third, Hermiston led
40-29 with 4:20 to play, but the
Bombers went on an 14-7 run
to finish out the quarter and pull
within 47-43.
“In the first half, we let them
hang around when they weren’t
playing well, instead of blowing
the game open,” Rodriguez said.
“In the second half, we weren’t
rebounding and getting the 50-50
balls.”
Jordan Thomas added 15 points
for Hermiston, while Jayden Ray
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Jordan Thomas (24), of Hermiston, goes up for a jumper as Richland’s Halee Pierce (20) defends Friday at the Dawg
added eight.
Jayda Clark led the Bombers House.
(6-5, 3-4) with 15 points, while
Garza added 15 and Gracie Pierce
12.
HERMISTON
AT
“In the first half,
KAMIAKIN
Alexa Hazel and Oumou Toure
have been the face of the Kamiakin we were excited to play.
girls basketball team since they
In the second half, we
were freshmen.
played at their tempo,
In their final season, the
dynamic duo still is turning heads
and their defense
and scoring baskets. The two com-
bined for 44 points Saturday, as the
caused havoc.”
Braves ran past Hermiston 62-26
Juan Rodriguez, Hermiston coach
in a Mid-Columbia Conference
game in Kennewick.
“Holy smokes,” Hermiston
coach Juan Rodriguez said. “A
team like that exposes you in so (4-7, 2-5) within 11-7 to start the
many areas. They are very athletic second period, and a basket and a
and they get in the passing lanes. I free throw by Thomas would be
am disappointed that they got easy the end of the scoring for Hermis-
baskets off of turnovers, and layup ton as the Braves took a 26-10 lead
at the half.
after layup.”
Hazel had a game-high 23
Kamiakin came out in the third
points — 16 combined in the mid- and scored 14 consecutive points
dle quarters — while Toure, who in a span of 1:23 to take a 42-14
has signed to play basketball at lead and the rout was on.
Butler University, had 21.
Thomas led the Bulldogs with
Hermiston’s Jordan Thomas 13 points, including eight in the
scored the first two points of the third quarter. Romero added eight
game, but back-to-back buckets by points. Only four players scored
Toure gave the Braves (11-0 over- for Hermiston.
all, 7-0 MCC) the lead for good
“We knew this was going to be a
just 90 seconds into the contest.
tall task,” Rodriguez said. “But you
Kamiakin went on a 6-0 run to still have to come out and compete.
end the first quarter with an 11-4 In this league, every team is good.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
lead.
It forces them to understand they Mia Hernandez, of Hermiston, concentrates as she prepares to throw two
A 3-pointer by Hermiston’s Jaz- need to develop. It’s a humbling clutch freethrows to tie Friday’s game against Richland with one minute to
go.
lyn Romero pulled the Bulldogs experience, which is good.”
The Umatilla boys are
now enjoying a nine-game
streak after turning away
Blanchet Catholic 51-40 at
the Crusader Classic New
Year’s Invitational in Salem
on Jan. 3.
“For traveling all last
night, staying in a motel, and
playing an early morning
game, we did pretty good,”
said coach Scott Bow.
Umatilla was up by just
one point at the end of the
first quarter before posting
17 points over Blanchet’s
eight in the second quarter
for a 29-19 halftime lead.
The Vikings stumbled in
the third and were outscored
13-9, but came back in the
fourth to claim the win.
Senior guard Sebastian
Garcia sank 15 points for the
Vikings, and junior guard
Andrew Earl had 13.
“We’ve played a lot of
good teams in these non-
league games,” Bow said.
“I’m ready to see us take on
our league.”
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FAMILY DENTISTRY
“We got some great
looks at the net, but
when it came down
to it, they (Santiam)
made the shots, and
we didn’t.”
McKenzie Davis ,
Vikings coach
Umatilla played West-
ern Christian on Jan. 4 in the
tournament’s second round,
losing 77-38. They went
on to beat Amity 60-55 and
were set to play Irrigon on
Tuesday.
Girls
The Umatilla girls fell
to 2-9 after Santiam handed
them a 35-19 loss at round
one of the Crusader Classic
New Year’s Invitational on
Jan. 3.
The Wolverines tore
away early, taking a 9-2 lead
at the end of the first quar-
ter, leaving Umatilla unable
to catch up.
“I thought we did really
well,” said Vikings coach
McKenzie Davis. “We got
some great looks at the net,
but when it came down to
it, they (Santiam) made the
shots, and we didn’t.”
Umatilla put up seven
points against Santiam’s
eight in the second quarter
for a 17-9 Wolverine lead at
the half. The Vikings could
only manage 10 points in the
second half.
Senior guard Charlene
Alvarez posted five points
to lead Umatilla. Senior post
Alexandra Ford and fresh-
man post Taylor Durfey had
four each.
“We’re pretty prepared
for the league,” Davis said.
“I’m looking forward to see-
ing how the girls stack up
against these teams. Right
now, there’s not as much
pressure because we’re in
the preseason. I know peo-
ple have kind of low expec-
tations for us, so I’d like to
see us show up, play some
good basketball, and turn
some heads.”
They went on to lose
45-32 to Portland Adventist
Academy Friday and 47-32
to Valley Catholic Saturday.
They played Irrigon Tues-
day evening.
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