Tigers Lose on Chinooks’ Buzzer-Beating 3-Pointer

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KELSO — Everything had worked out perfectly for Napavine to upset Central 2B League champion Kalama at the district semifinals Wednesday at Kelso High School.

The Tigers, who had led through the final two and half quarters, still clutched onto a 57-54 lead when Kalama’s two-time league MVP Jackson Esary fouled out with 49 seconds to go. All the Tigers had to do was execute and hold on for the win.

A Chinooks’ bucket and a Gavin Parker free throw gave Napavine a 58-56 lead with 14 seconds to go and Kalama with one final possession.

The Chinooks drove down court and, as the final seconds ticked off, Dylan Mills pulled up from the 3-point line just right of the basket and drilled the buzzer-beating game winner to end Napavine’s upset bid in a screeching halt.

“We played hard. You can’t fault the effort,” Napavine coach Rex Stanley said. “I wish we could have executed a little better down the stretch. If we can close it out, that last shot doesn’t even happen.”

It was a disappointing loss for a Tigers team that had led nearly the entire game and had fended off everything the Chinooks had thrown at them.

Keith Olson dominated down low with 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, while James Grose provided the slashing, finishing with a team-high 17 points to go with nine boards.

The Tigers led at the end of each of the first three quarters, by three at the end of one (19-17), by six at the half (36-30) and six entering the fourth quarter (51-45).

In an intense, back-and-forth foray, the Tigers led by as many as eight late in the third quarter as they narrowly kept momentum on their side.

They kept Esary from taking over the game, in part by drawing him into three fouls with two minutes left in the first half, and also by Napavine point guard Cael Stanley’s staunch defensive effort.

Esary would finish with a game-high 23 points but would foul out in the final minute, making the Tigers’ path to victory a bit smoother. But Kalama got a quick bucket to cut Napavine’s lead to one before Parker connected one one of two free throws to put the Tigers back up by two with 14 seconds to go.

Then the unthinkable happened, a clutch shot to end the Tigers’ district-title hopes.

Napavine now heads to in a winner-to-regionals matchup with Ilwaco at 7:30 p.m., Friday at W.F. West High School. A win would send the Tigers to the third/fourth place match and clinch a regional bid. A loss would put the Tigers  in a winner-to-regionals, loser-to-play-in game.

“The good thing for us is we have more games coming,” Stanley said. “There’s no cupcakes left. Every game from here on out is gonna be a battle. We’re gonna bounce back and come back.”