Almost 12 hours after getting romped in the Class 2B District 4 semifinals, the Adna High School boys basketball team had a three-hour practice session.
The first 60 minutes was spent watching film. Not of the double digit loss to Napavine, but of their own highlights and their upcoming opponent, Onalaska.
Then two hours of court time followed. Which for Pirates head coach Luke Salme, he admitted was “abnormal.”
“The sky is not falling,” he said. “I felt excited to play another game and I felt good. Let’s just hurry up and get to six o’clock.”
His own flesh and blood only added to the positivity on Friday night.
Junior Trevin Salme posted a game-high 28 points and went on a personal 3-point streak in the second quarter to ignite the Pirates to a 61-44 triumph over the Loggers in a winner-to-state game at W.F. West High School.
The C2BL Co-MVP responded from a 6-of-24 performance with only two 3s to a more efficient night to help Adna be in the final 16 for the sixth consecutive season.
“Just do what we have to do to win,” Trevin Salme said. “We flushed that game this morning.”
While the coaching staff felt for their own sanity the longer practice was needed, the players only agreed.
The reality of four quarters separating Adna (20-4) from either going home or continuing for at least two more games, was setting in.
“I’ll do whatever I need to help my team win,” Salme said.
The 6-foot-2 guard took matters into his own hands when the Pirates trailed by one after the opening eight minutes.
He faced constant double teams early and was held to two points. Once he roamed on the perimeter and got isolation looks, it created openings for the Pirates.
And for Salme. He scored 15 in the second stanza to put the Pirates in front by 11 at the half.
“I haven’t been shooting great recently, but it felt good,” Salme said. “Just do what I can to create a good shot.”
“It comes down to making baskets and that’s what gave us that buffer,” Coach Salme added. “As excited as I was, he was the most excited human being.”
For Onalaska head coach Fred Sturza, any remedy he could’ve applied may not have been effective.
“He doesn't stand out there and wait for shots,” Sturza said. “We were getting hit with screen after screen and he doesn’t need any space. I don’t even know if talking a little bit more or jumping was gonna (make a difference).
“You give him a clear line of sight, it is buckets.”
The Loggers (13-12) cut it to seven twice in the third, but never got within a possession. Adna used a 7-0 spree to increase the margin to 14 and maintained the double figure lead the rest of the way.
Onalaska was paced by Ethan Thayer, who dominated the post with a team-best 25 points, and Noland Brady added 15. The rest of the lineup combined for four points.
It only made one trifecta all night. The Pirates, meanwhile, converted six 3s.
“We’re getting great looks, but we needed that stop,” Sturza said. “Exchange 2s for 3s, you saw that point differential."
After pacing Adna in the semis with 18 points, Grayson Humphrey tallied 15 points and recorded two assists plus five boards. The first team all-leaguer has been a staple of consistency as of late with five straight games of 10 or more points.
Trevin Salme notched 11 rebounds for a double-double and chipped in four assists and five steals.
“He is so athletic and really, you get to district basketball, you have to make shots and he has the ability to create his own shot,” Coach Salme said of Humphrey. “It makes us a lot better.”
Up next for the Pirates will be P2BL champ Ilwaco in the third place game on Saturday back in Chehalis. To the outside, it may be viewed as meaningless.
To the Pirates locker room, it is far from.
“We obviously want to be top-eight,” Salme stated. “Win tomorrow and see where they put us.”
Onalaska says goodbye to three seniors — Austin and Logan Sturza plus Gage Stoner — but the nucleus of Thayer, Brady, Brody Triana and Maddox McKinley is expected to be back.
Which gives Coach Sturza plenty of optimism, after two straight losses in the winner to state round, can take the next step in 2026-27.
“That young core is good, it is just how much time they’re gonna spend in the gym,” Coach Sturza said. “You saw our growth over the year. We didn’t take a step back. Win three games in districts, that’s not too bad.”
