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RICHLAND -- Earl Streufert stepped outside of the coaches room following Saturday's 57-48 loss to fourth-ranked Eisenhower, seeking some quiet solitude as he pored over the latest Richland boys stat sheet.
The loss -- the Bombers' fourth straight -- didn't sting as much as one haunting reality.
"This was very winnable," Streufert said, shaking his head at Richland's 36 percent shooting from the floor and 52 percent from the free-throw line. "We were in it with 56 seconds left but made two defensive blunders, which we usually don't do.
"We left the backside open on a press when we really needed to be putting people at the free-throw line."
In fact, Eisenhower (15-0, 7-0 CBBN Cascade Division) got eight points in transition over the final 1:34 while the Bombers tried to get back into position on defense.
Richland had pulled to within 49-43 after Colton McCargar hit a free throw to cap a three-point play with 1:08 remaining in the game.
But Robert Bonser scored on a layup at the other end seconds later to push the lead back up to eight points.
Twenty-eight seconds later, Bonser caught the Bombers watching on defense again, breaking downcourt for an emphatic one-handed slam dunk to give the Cadets a 53-44 lead.
Richland was coming off perhaps its toughest loss this season -- a 55-46 loss Friday at Hanford -- and wanted to make a statement against the only remaining undefeated 4A boys team in the state.
"We played well in the second half (against Hanford), but we didn't play a full game," said Bombers forward Hayden Hilty. "We wanted to give everything we had."
Taylor Elmo, Ike's 6-foot-5 senior forward and leading scorer, had just three points and five rebounds at halftime as the Cadets struggled to find their rhythm on offense.
Meanwhile, Richland was struggling painfully at the free-throw line, hitting just 4-of-12 in the first half as the teams went in tied at 19 after two quarters.
"If we would have run our offensive sets better and they would have hit their free throws, either team could have taken control," said Ike coach Pat Fitterer. "When we beat (Richland) here five years ago, it was Eisenhower's first win ever on this court. The wins here come few and far between. You've got to earn it."
Elmo came alive in the second half, scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds.
"We knew they were going to come out fired up," said Elmo, who signed with Idaho to play football but may also try to walk on to the basketball team. "We just tried to play good, tough defense and fly around. We got into foul trouble, so we couldn't really do that as much.
"Richland is always a good, competitive team. I'm glad we came out on top."
Calvin Douglas and Brett Jacobs each scored 12 points to lead the Bombers, and Douglas had 11 rebounds and four steals.
But Richland missed several mid-range jumpers that could have turned the tide at several stages.
"The first half of the year we were shooting 50 percent, but our last four game we're in the mid-30s. That's been a tell-tale sign," Streufert said. "We've been in every game. We're knocking on the door.
"The key is to keep it in perspective. We've got four games and eight practices to get it done. There is a sense of urgency, but the problems aren't insurmountable."
EISENHOWER (57)
Gaut 12, Lopez 3, Taylor Elmo 18, Berman 8, Bonser 11, Watson 3, Fowler 2. Totals 23-47 9-15 57.
RICHLAND (48)
Rowe 2, Brett Jacobs 12, Dunford 4, Smith 5, Calvin Douglas 12, Radliff, McCargar, Hilty 6, Vedder 2. Totals 18-50 11-21 48.
Eisenhower 11 8 13 25 -- 57
Richland 10 9 7 22 -- 48
Highlights -- Elmo 11 rebounds; Bonser 6 rebs; Lopez 5 assists; Gaut 6 rebs; Douglas 11 rebs; Rowe 6 rebs, 4 steals, 4 assists.
