TUMWATER — It wasn’t always the prettiest, but it was pure Black Hills.
The Wolves took their time to get going in their first-round matchup in the 2A District 4 boys basketball tournament against Woodland, but they hit all of the notes that have made them successful late this season, overcoming a couple rough spots in a 66-59 win.
And now, Black Hills is in the district semifinals, and a win away from a return to the state tournament after a year’s absence.
“One win away,” head coach Jeff Gallagher said. “I’m just happy I’m guaranteed to coach these kids at least two more games. It’s a fun group, and they’ve done everything we’ve asked of them. Sometimes it’s not pretty, but they get the job done.”
Tied up at 27-27 going into halftime after giving Woodland 10 free throws and turning the ball over 10 times in the opening 16 minutes, the Wolves immediately fell behind when the Beavers nailed a 3-pointer to open the third quarter.
From there, the Wolves’ starring trio took over.
Senior guard Johnnie Stallings, who’s taken on the leading roll with the ball in his hands this season, pulled up for a 3-pointer. From there, two possessions saw the ball get to Keagan Rongen in the post — the latter of which gave the Wolves a 34-32 lead. The next time down the court, Black Hills got it to Harrison Pilon for a 3-pointer in the corner, and the possession after that, Pilon got clobbered taking another three, and sunk a pair of free throws.
Three more Stallings buckets gave Black Hills a crucial 19-point quarter, and a lead the Wolves wouldn’t give back.
Stallings finished with a team-high 21 points, shooting 58% from the field and going 5 for 5 at the line. He also racked up five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
“We’ve told him, ‘When they’re pressuring you, take pressure to the basket,’” Gallagher said. “Sometimes it’s tough to dribble out and let guys get settled, so just go to the basket… He did a really, really nice job.”
Pilon, who’s suddenly thrown his name in the hat to be called the 2A EvCo’s most dangerous sniper, went 5 for 7 from beyond the arc for 19 points of his own.
Down low, Rongen picked up two quick fouls that limited him in the first half, and picked up his fourth with a minute to go in the third. He still came away with 12 points — in one stretch between the second quarter and the beginning of the third he scored 10 of Black Hills’ 16 — and six rebounds.
“He got in foul trouble early, but he adjusted to the way the game was being called,” Gallagher said. “We were able to keep him on the floor in the second half, just pounded it down to him, and they really didn’t have an answer for him.”
Rongen wasn’t the only player piling up fouls; the two sides combined for 38 personals, which quickly got both teams into the bonus in both halves. That helped the Wolves down the stretch. The hosts’ final field goal came with 4:41 still left on the clock to put them up by 17 points, and while the offense lost most of its rhythm, Black Hills went 10 for 13 from the stripe in the final quarter to hold on and ice the game.
“We spent a lot of time this week shooting free throws,” Gallagher said. “It paid off.”
Now, the Wolves will face the 2A GSHL champion Mark Morris, which dispatched Columbia River 68-49 in Longview, on Tuesday at Tumwater in a rematch of last year’s winner-to-state matchup. The Monarchs took that game 80-57, ending Black Hills’ season.
