Friday, March 29, 2024

Bears lose Regional showdown to NWC, advance to State

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WENATCHEE – The 2B basketball playoff nemesis of the Brewster Bears – Northwest Christian, Colbert – that in 2016 stopped the Bears’ state championship run at third place in Spokane, struck again in the Regional finals at Wenatchee last Friday, Feb. 24.
The Crusaders, behind the one-two scoring punch of Ryan Ricks and Asher Cox, led at all stops in all four quarters of play, though Brewster outscored their opponent in both the third and fourth quarter. Ricks, a senior guard, and Cox, a six-foot, seven-inch senior forward, together accounted for all but 17 of NWC’s 61 game points.
Bears’ guards Edgar Najera and Joe Taylor got Brewster off to an early first quarter lead and the Bears didn’t commit their first foul until past the mid-point in the quarter. Brewster drew only four fouls in the first half.
Northwest caught Brewster down the stretch but only led by four points, 16-12, at the end of the first quarter.
Ricks’ 11 points in the second quarter helped the Crusaders extend their lead to nine, 33-24, at halftime.
It was all three-pointers from Najera in the third quarter as Brewster outscored Northwest, 16-12, in the third but still came up short, 45-40, at the end of the third.
Brewster again outscored Northwest, 17-16, in the fourth quarter and caught the Crusaders near the four-minute mark and from that point every shot, turnover, rebound, steal and free-throw was a game-changer.
Felix Nava, stripped the ball for an easy lay-up and Isaac Baker sank one-and-one from the foul stripe to being the Bears within one point, 49-48. Nava stole the ball again, was fouled on an attempted lay-up and put the Bears ahead, 50-49, from the foul line.with just under four minutes remaining in the game.
Joe Taylor connected for a pair of three-pointers as part of his eight points in the fourth quarter and put Brewster ahead twice down the stretch. Taylor second trey with 1;20 remaining in the game put the Bears up, 57-56 for the final time.
The Crusaders closed the gap and pulled ahead on free throws to win by four.
Brewster drew 10 fouls in the second half while Northwest was charged with eight in each of the first and second halves.
The Bears were scheduled to play a loser-out game against Liberty (Spangle) at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, in the first round of State playoffs at Spokane Arena. If Brewster gets by the Lancers it will face Napavine at 12:15 p.m., Thursday, March 2.

brewster, bears, basketball, david garcia, edgar najera

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