Richland wins another MCC boys basketball regular-season title and ranked No. 1 seed
The Richland boys basketball team pulled away from host Kamiakin midway through the third quarter, beating the Braves 68-57 on Friday night.
That victory clinched another Mid-Columbia Conference regular-season title for the Bombers, something that Earl Streufert’s team has been very good at these last few years.
Kamiakin senior James Kinsey sank a 3-point field goal to give the Braves a 36-35 lead.
But that would be the only time Kamiakin would have the lead.
Jack Forbes quickly answered back with a basket for the Bombers, who began a 17-2 run to put the game away.
Josh Woodard — who led the Bombers with 18 points — was key in that run, scoring 7 points.
That’s three consecutive regular-season titles for the Bombers, and the 40th conference crown in the school’s history.
The Bombers will match up against Pasco on Thursday in the first round of the District 8 4A tournament.
For Kamiakin’s part, Brian Meneely’s team has clinched the No. 2 MCC seed going into the District 8 4A boys tournament.
Notes
In Hermiston’s 74-55 win at home over Chiawana on Saturday, Bulldogs senior Grant Olsen became the school’s all-time leading scorer.
His 19 points in the contest put Olsen at 1,497 as a career total. That breaks Hermiston’s 33-year-old record, which was held by Todd Spike with 1,491 points.
▪ Southridge senior Jesse Tijerina achieved 1,000 career points last week, becoming just the fourth boys basketball player to do so in the school’s history.
District tournaments
All five Class 4A MCC teams will qualify for the district tournament, which begins Thursday, Feb. 8
The Greater Spokane League’s top three 4A schools join the party, and when it’s all said and done, the top two teams in this tournament will qualify for the state regional play-in games that will be held Feb. 23-24.
Meanwhile, three of the four Class 3A teams in the MCC will advance to the District 8 tournament, which begins next Saturday, Feb. 10.
Walla Walla has clinched the top seed in the MCC. But there could be a logjam situation at spots 2 and 3.
Southridge is 8-7, while Hermiston and Kennewick are 7-8 in MCC play.
The top three teams in this district tournament advance to state regionals.
4A MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE BOYS
Through games of Feb. 3
Richland (4A) 15-0 MCC, 16-3 overall
Kamiakin (4A) 13-2, 17-3
Walla Walla (3A) 10-5, 12-8
Southridge (3A) 8-7, 10-10
Hermiston (3A) 7-8, 8-11
Kennewick (3A) 7-8, 8-11
Chiawana (4A) 5-11, 5-16
Hanford (4A) 3-12, 4-15
Pasco (4A) 0-15, 0-19
Feb. 1 — Richland 85, Kennewick 53
Feb. 2 — Chiawana 57, Hanford 32; Kennewick 56, Walla Walla 45; Richland 68, Kamiakin 57; Southridge 70, Pasco 40
Feb. 3 — Hermiston 74, Chiawana 55; Kamiakin 66, Pasco 20; Southridge 61, Hanford 46
Feb. 6 — Hanford at Kamiakin, 7:30 p.m.; Hermiston at Southridge, 7:30 p.m.; Pasco at Kennewick, 7:30 p.m.; Richland at Walla Walla, 7:30 p.m.
DISTRICT 8 4A BOYS TOURNAMENT
Feb. 8
Game 1, MCC 5 (Pasco) at MCC 1 (Richland), 6 pm.
Game 2, MCC 3 (Chiawana) at GSL 2, 6 p.m.
Game 3, GSL 3 at MCC 2 (Kamiakin), 6 p.m.
Game 4, MCC 4 (Hanford) at GSL 1 (Gonzaga Prep), 6 p.m.
Feb. 10
Game 5, loser 1 vs. loser 2 (loser out), TBDGame 6, loser 3 vs. Loser 4 (loser out), TBD
Game 7, winner 1 vs. winner 2, TBD
Game 8, winner 3 vs. winner 4, TBD
DISTRICT 8 3A BOYS TOURNAMENT
Feb. 10
Game 1, GSL 5 at GSL 1 (Mead), 6 p.m.
Game 2, GSL 3 at MCC 2, 6 p.m.
Game 3, MCC 3 at GSL 2, 6 p.m.
Game 4, GSL 4 at MCC 1 (Walla Walla), 6 p.m.