NAPAVINE — From the outside, it was viewed as the easy way to look at things.
Sure, one of the longest-tenured coaches in SW Washington hung up the clipboard. And a pure scorer plus all-area MVP graduated. Also, don’t forget the one varsity starter back in the fold and three others that earned limited minutes.
Those barriers before the first game of the season have long been knocked down for the Napavine High School boys basketball team.
Fueled by a career-high 26 points from Beckett Landram plus rebounding prowess by Karsen Denault and others, the Tigers overcame a late push from Adna to secure a 79-61 verdict on Wednesday night in a C2BL showdown at Napavine High School.
“It was pretty cool and pretty sweet atmosphere,” Landram said. “We know how we can play and how good we are. We haven't surprised ourselves.”
It not only splits the season series with their top rivals, but the Tigers now have the inside track at the outright league title and No. 1 seed in the Class 2B District 4 tournament. They close the regular season at Morton-White Pass on Friday and at Winlock next Tuesday.
Not too shabby for first-year head coach Eric Hersman
“We want them to play hard and then we want them to play together,” Hersman said. “That selfless style of basketball wins games. They felt like people were counting them out. They feel they’ve been overlooked.”
While the league was shaping up to have some potential parity, Adna and Napavine flexed its muscles constantly. Wednesday’s tilt was the anticipated rematch from the first meeting – a 47-40 win by the Pirates.
It turned into a one-sided affair gradually.
The Tigers never trailed and went on outbursts of 13-2 and 7-0 to take command and head into the locker room with a 16-point cushion. Denault canned a triple just before the halftime buzzer. They went on a 9-0 spree in the third to lead by a commanding 25-point margin in the third.
One of the biggest differentiators was the battle on the glass, particularly on the offensive side. Napavine (16-2, 13-1 C2BL) grabbed 17 offensive boards and turned it into 19 second chance points. Denault and Jack Nelson each snared six offensive boards.
“It is shots on goal,” Hersman said. “If you limit those opportunities and maximize yours, gives you the best chance (to win).”
Even when Adna was in a 1-3-1 zone in the last two quarters, the Tigers didn’t let the defensive shift alter the caroms. Denault finished with a game-high 13 boards and Nelson added nine.
“There has been such a point of emphasis on our boxouts,” Pirates head coach Luke Salme said. “When you’re disadvantaged, you gotta close that gap as much as you can by being disciplined.
“Frustrating first half, encouraging second half.”
Landram’s night was buoyed by five 3-pointers and nine total field goals. He buried the first basket of the night and the last one from beyond the arc, the latter ended an 11-1 run by Adna that cut the deficit to 12 in the fourth.
The junior guard did his part to help the Tigers turn a 19-12 advantage after one quarter to 48-30 behind a 27-point onslaught in the second stanza. Denault also finished with 26 points in his double-double performance and Cal Bullock added 11 points.
A stark contrast for Denault from the first contest when he was held to single digits.
“We stayed to our game,” Landram said.
It marked the final regular season home game for Denault, Nelson and Landon McNamara. Cayle Kelly was also recognized prior to tipoff. Once the final horn sounded, the Tigers celebrated with their student body.
“It teaches us, no matter what the score is, to not give up,” Landram said.
Adna (15-4, 12-2) did not go away silently.
Sophomore Trevin Salme netted 12 of his team-best 26 points with four-plus minutes left in the third quarter and the opening four minutes in the fourth. Grayson Humphrey chipped in 16 and forward Gavan Muller recorded 12 points.
“They don’t quit,” Salme said. “Not many teams in SW Washington would have beat Napavine in this gym. It would have taken an A game from us. The effort in the second half, as a coach, that’s what you want to see. You walk out, chins up.”
Adna will attempt to lock up the No. 2 seed and the bye into the quarterfinals for districts when it wraps up the league schedule against Mossyrock on Friday and Morton-White Pass on Monday afternoon.
