Bears battle Kittitas to the wire in District 5/6 semifinal, face Oroville Saturday, Feb. 16, 12:15 p.m.

The Bears will face league co-champion Oroville at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16, at Chelan High School to determine the third and fourth place in District. Members of the Brewster High School varsity boys basketball team include, from left: Logan McGuire, Alfredo Nila, Cade Gebbers, Umbaldo Arellano, Kade Kelpman, Issac Baker, Corey Jarrell, Joe Taylor, Ernie Nanamkin, Quincy Vassar, Ricky Vazquez and Adiah Najera. Photo by Mike Maltais

Posted Saturday, February 16, 2019 10:45 am

By Mike Maltais Staff writer

CHELAN – The Central Washington 2B League co-champion Brewster Bears battled defending two-time state champion Kittitas down to the wire in a 67-55 loss in District 5/6 competition at Chelan Community Gym Friday night, Feb. 15.

Brewster played the Coyotes straight up in the first and final quarters but allowed Kittitas to open a large lead in the second quarter that ended up making the difference in the final outcome. After scoring the first bucket from the tipoff the Bears stayed within a point of Kittitas, 16-15 through the first quarter.

The Coyotes found their range and rhythm in through the second quarter to go on a 23-6 tear that put them up by 18 points, 39-21, at halftime. After being as much as 20 points down in the third quarter, the Bears kept Kittitas in sight to enter the fourth quarter trailing 57-40.

Midway through the final eight minutes the Bears played some of their best ball of the season to outscore the Coyotes through the quarter and close within eight points before the clock ran out. With the score 57-42 Ricky Vazquez hit a three ball to bring the Bears within 12 points. Then in quick succession Kade Kelpman hit a bucket and Quincy Vassar sunk two to shave the margin to eight points, 59-51 with nearly four minutes left to play.

The run rattled Kittitas who took two timeouts near the end of the game to preserve the margin it had left. The Coyotes managed to outscore Brewster 6-4 down the stretch to win by 12.

Joe Taylor and Connor Ashworth hit in double figures with 21 and 14 points respectively. The Bears were without Corey Jarrell, one of their key outside shooters, sidelines with an ankle injury.

The Coyotes’ Brock Ravet led all scorers with 33 points.

The Bears will face league co-champion Oroville at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16, at Chelan High School to determine the third and fourth place in District. The Hornets lost a 55-31 decision to Lake Roosevelt to give the Raiders a shot at Kittitas in the championship round.

Brewster: 15-6-19-15 55

Kittitas: 16-23-18-10 67

Brewster scoring:

Joe Taylor: 21

Connor Ashworth: 14

Kade Kelpman: 6

Quincy Vassar: 6

Cade Gebbers: 5

Ricky Vazquez: 3