Bears finish second at state basketball championship

SPOKANE – A second half surge by Davenport erased a Brewster halftime 31-28 lead and provided just enough momentum for the Gorillas to hold off the experienced state fixtures for a 65-58 win the 2B state basketball title last Saturday, March 4.

The Bears led from the opening tipoff when senior Kelson Gebbers got the game’s first two points. They controlled the tempo of the first quarter and held Davenport’s 6-foot, 7-inch leading scorer Tennessee Rainwater scoreless and took a five-point, 18-13 lead into the second.

Consecutive buckets by Tyson Schertenleib helped give Brewster its biggest lead of the game, 22-13, before Davenport slowly closed to within three, 31-28, at halftime. The mid-game locker room often proves to be the turning point for many teams and so was the case with Davenport. When the Gorillas took the floor in the third quarter, they started to get some production from Rainwater who would go on to score some 25 points down the stretch.

Brewster had a one-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Davenport took a one-point lead and gradually built on that. The Bears remained within striking distance where a three-point play could have the differe3nce until the final minutes of the game when the Gorillas put the lead out of reach from the free throw line. It was Davenport’s first state championship and its first appearance at state since 2010.

Both teams’ big men were the scoring leaders despite Rainwater’s late start the saw him scoreless through the first two quarters.

Brewster had a challenging ride through the playoffs including an opening round 21-point, 93-72, loss to Columbia (Burbank) who that went on to place third in state.

The Bears then regrouped to beat Tri-Cities Prep by 10 in the Round of 12 to advance to the quarterfinals against Napavine on March 2. Another 10-point win over the Tigers sent the Bears to the semis to meet Lind-Ritzville-Sprague-Washtucna (LRSW) on March 3. They defeated the Broncos by five. 55-50, to reach last weekend’s finals.

It’s the third consecutive state championship appearance for the Bears. They placed second to Liberty Spangle in 2022 and were state champs in 2020 when Cade Gebbers conducted a shooting clinic against Life Christian Academy with 34 points, including the game-winning free throw to give Brewster the 58-57 win. The Bears have won the state basketball title nine times.

In the only other Quad City schools game, the Waterville/Mansfield Lady Shockers placed sixth after losing to Oakesdale.