Bears sink Ducks, 51-27, advance to state semifinals

SPOKANE – Following a 74-48 win over Kettle Falls in the opening round of state basketball competition the previous evening, the Brewster Bears defeated Toutle Lake, 51-27, in the Elite Eight on Thursday, March 5.
The Bears got off to a slow start in the first quarter only scoring in single digits and actually trailed the Duck 11-7 at the end of the period. A Toutle Lake eighth grader led the Ducks in scoring with eight of the team’s 11 first quarter points.
The momentum changed in dramatic fashion at the start of the second quarter when a pair of back-to-back three-pointers by Cade Gebbers and a buck by Connor Ashworth gave Brewster a 15-11 lead that was never threatened for the remainder of the game. The Bears ramped up their defense and rebounding, held Toutle Lake to just four points through the second quarter and led the Ducks by 10, 25-15 at halftime.
Kelson Gebbers opened the third quarter with six unanswered points to put Brewster up 31-15. AJ Woodward came off the bench near the end of the third to sink a pair of shots and give the Bears a 40-22 heading into the fourth quarter. The Gebbers brothers combined for a trio of three-pointers as Brewster coasted to a 51-27 final. Both ended the game in double figures with Cade scoring 17 and Kelson 13.
In the game between No. 8 White Swan and No. 2 St. Georges immediately following the Bears and Ducks, St. Georges pulled out a two-point 55-53 win to advance into the semifinal round where they will face the Bears at 9 p.m. tonight. The winner will face either Life Christian Academy or Willapa Valley for the state championship at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. The Bears lost to Life Christian, 78-65, in the Regional tournament at Wenatchee on Feb. 28.
The Bears are looking forward to a re-match.
Bears scoring:
Cade Gebbers: 17
Kelson Gebbers: 13
 Connor Ashworth: 8
Corey Jarrell: 7
AJ Woodward: 4
Adaih Najera: 2

Wednesday, March 4 action: Bears bite Bulldogs, 74-48, advance at state

SPOKANE – The Brewster Bears varsity basketball team survived the first round of state 2B tournament competition in commanding style, handing the Kettle Falls Bulldogs a 74-48 loss in a loser-out game last Wednesday night, March 4.
The win guarantees Brewster at least two more appearances in the Spokane Arena beginning with Toutle Lake at 7:15 p.m., Thursday, March 5. If he Bears get past the No. 3 Ducks, they will face either No. 9 Colfax, No. 8 White Swan, or No. 2 St. Georges at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6.
Kade Kelpman got the Bears on the board first in the opening quarter and Brewster led their rivals, 14-11 at the end of the first. Kettle Falls tied the game 14-all early in the second quarter before the Bears settled in and began to build a 33-19 lead by halftime behind the double-digit scoring of Connor Ashworth and Corey Jarrell with 10 points each.
Mid-way through the third quarter sophomore guard Adaih Najera found his range to score seven of his nine points and help the Bears build a 56-39 margin going into the final quarter.
In workmen-like fashion the Bears gradually increased their lead through the fourth quarter that allowed the reserves to see some state floor time during the last half of the quarter. Freshman Reese Vassar made the opportunity count with his first bucket in a state game to add to the Bears final 26-point win.
Connor Ashworth led the Bears with 17 points with three teammates scoring in double figures including Cade Gebbers 15, and Corey Jarrell and Kade Kelpman with 10 apiece.