For a team that fell short of the District IV 1A Boys Basketball Tournament last season, Toledo sure came out with a vengeance in its opener with Ilwaco.
The Indians went on a 20-3 run to open the game, never allowing the Fishermen to creep to within 15 until they banked a 3-pointer as the final buzzer sounded, winning 68-54 in Chehalis Wednesday night.
“I’m very pleased with the way we played,” Toledo coach Scott Merzoian said. “We didn’t make the district tournament last year, so I was a little worried with how the kids would feel coming out. They came out with confidence, energy, and really played hard and tough.”
“We were howlin’ for a district tournament game,” Indian guard David Wallace said. “Last year, we thought we should of been in it. It was heartbreak for us that we weren’t, so we definitely came back this year hungry.”
Boy were they. Toledo ate up the block, scoring 42 of its 68 points in the paint, while allowing just 18 by Ilwaco. The high percentage buckets allowed the Indians to shoot nearly 52 percent from the floor on 54 shot attempts.
“It was one of those games that was a complete team effort,” Merzoian said, “but our post play set the tone early on inside.”
Jesse Wallace had the biggest game inside, scoring 15 points and pulling down 11 rebounds in 25 minutes of playing time for the Indians. Other notables were Wallace (9 points), Joe Jordan (13), and D.J. Herbert (12).
The Fishermen were led by Karl Oman’s 15 points. While they were dismal from the field (18 of 50), they cashed in 11 of 15 free throw attempts.
Toledo finished the first quarter with a 26-7 lead, and never allowed Ilwaco to creep within 15 points until the Fishermen banked a three as the regulation buzzer sounded.
“Defense was the biggest part of that first quarter,” Wallace said. “Like a lot of teams in the Trico, (Ilwaco’s) in more of a run and gun style league than we are, so we had to play a solid defensive game.”
The Indians advance to the quarterfinals and play Stevenson Friday at 8 p.m. in Kelso or at Black Hills High School.
Bulldogs Rough Up Warriors
KELSO — Rochester did the best it could hanging with Stevenson, going into halftime down 43-39.
But once four Warrior starters got into foul trouble in the third quarter, they collapsed — surrendering 26 points and scoring 8 — falling 83-54 here Wednesday night in the District IV Boys Basketball Tournament opener.
Warrior coach Andrew Kernutt said his team had 10 fouls before the Bulldogs even had one, which could explain the 47 free throw attempts — 21 of which they made.
“They probably took half of those in the third quarter,” he said. “Our defense broke down and they took advantage of it.
Brandon Canales was one of four Warriors in double figures, scoring a team-high 17 points to go with nine rebounds.
“He played four hard quarters,” Kernutt said. “He was our leader throughout, and his intensity was great.”
Jared Burkhardt added 15, Josh Monette had 12 and Tyler McLemore scored 11.
Rochester now plays Ilwaco Friday at 8 p.m.
