TONASKET – The Tonasket boys’ basketball team ended their season with three league losses last week for a last-place Caribou Trail League finish, a league record of 0-10 and an overall record of 9-11.
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Tigers lost in Okanogan 73-42.
“Despite only shooting 32 percent from the field, I thought our effort was what we needed,” Head Coach Glenn Braman said. “We had trouble making baskets and we weren’t getting to the foul line. Sometimes, when you are not shooting well, if you will attack the basket and get to the line you can find your shot”
Junior John Stedtfeld led the Tigers with 14 points and one assist while senior Colton Ayers had 10 points, two assists and four steals and junior Damon Halvorsen had eight points, one assist and one steal. As a team, the boys made both of their freethrow attempts and shot 32 percent from the field.
“We had lots of good looks from the field, they just didn’t fall,” Braman said.
On Thursday, Feb. 3, the Tigers lost in Omak 58-56.
“This was a great game,” Braman said. “We got down by about 12 a couple different times and kept fighting. We had the lead a couple times toward the end of the game and just couldn’t capitalize on mistakes that Omak made.”
Ayers led the team with 17 points, four assists, three steals and shot 4-6 from the freethrow line while senior Corbin Moser had 10 points, one assist and one steal and Stedtfeld had nine pointes, two assists, two steals and shot 2-2 from the freethrow line. As a team, the boys made 56.2 percent of their freethrow attempts and shot 41.176 percent from the field.
“I was really happy with our effort and team play in this game,” Braman said. “We fought hard and never gave up.”
Finally, the Tigers lost at home on Senior Night to Cashmere 77-65.
“We had great energy for Senior Night,” Braman said. “We came out strong and made a good game of it. The third quarter was really the difference as they were hot and we had our lowest scoring quarter, with 12 points, and could never come back from the 16 point deficit. I was very proud of how my team played a tough Cashmere team. We showed improvement from the first time we played them and with a few different bounces on both ends we are right in the game.”
Ayers again led the team with 20 points, four assists, three steals and shot 2-3 from the freethrow line while senior Justin Dellinger had 12 points, Stedtfeld had 11 points, three assists and one steal and senior Zach Neal had 10 points, three assists, one steal and shot 2-2 from the freethrow line. As a team, the boys made 80 percent of their freethrow attempts and shot 45.76 from the field.
“We played great and together; even the people who weren’t on the floor were still in the game,” Dellinger said. “I’m happy with the way it ended because we came together closer and closer throughout the season and played as a family.”
Braman said the team improved throughout this season and that he would remember this season for a group of kids that fought hard every time they played.
“We showed so much improvement from a season ago and did things that we haven’t done as a team in the last four year,” he said. “We had improvement in our shooting percentages and a major decrease in our turnovers. Despite not winning a CTL game, I feel this team put everything into this season, as I know our coaching staff did, too and we should be very happy with the growth and improvement we saw this year.”
He also stated that the future looks bright for the Tonasket boys’ basketball program.
“Our junior varsity team finished 18-2 and avenged both losses with wins the next time they played those teams,” Braman continued. “The C-team finished 8-5 and had a very successful year. Overall, the future of the program is looking good.”
The team banquet is tentatively set for Wednesday, Feb. 23, but Braman said that may change.
“I would like to thank my seniors for their years of dedication and wish them the best as they look forward to graduation and on into the future,” he concluded.
