Boys hoops: Sanderson steps up to lead Richland past Wa-Hi

Cody Sanderson scored 23 points to help the Richland High School boys basketball team roll past visiting Walla Walla 74-50 on Friday in an MCC contest.

After playing just one game — Wednesday’s 77-49 win over Central Valley — since MCC play finished for winter break on Dec. 21, some rust was to be expected from the Bombers, which the Blue Devils (7-4, 3-2) took advantage of to the tune of a 16-14 lead after the first quarter. But Richland (11-0, 5-0) flipped the script in the second quarter to lead 35-30 at intermission, and won it going away in the second half.

Still, it was the first time the Bombers defeated a conference foe by fewer than 40 points this season.

Riley Sorn had 15 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for Richland, and Cole Northrop scored 18 points. Dylan Sullivan led Wa-Hi with 15 points despite fouling out.

KAMIAKIN 56, HANFORD 48: Garrett Paxton scored a career-high 28 points to lead the visiting Braves (8-3, 5-0) to a gritty win to stay undefeated in MCC games.

Paxton knocked down 4 of 9 shots from beyond the arc and also had four steals. Connor Woodward led Hanford (7-4, 3-2) with 15 points while Blake VanderTop chipped in 13 and had a game-high 10 rebounds.

CHIAWANA 71, SOUTHRIDGE 55: Matthew Kroner had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the host Riverhawks past the Suns in MCC play.

Simon Lopez had seven assists for Chiawana (3-8, 2-3) while Seth Schmidt and Taylor Kroll each scored 13 points. Tristan Smith led Southridge (4-6, 1-4) with 17 points and six rebounds.

KENNEWICK 53, PASCO 40: Jenner Norwood scored 22 points to lead the visiting Lions (5-5, 1-4) to their first MCC victory. No other stats were reported.

PROSSER 99, OTHELLO 89 (3OT): Chase Courtney scored 26 points and Haden Hicks 25 as the visiting Mustangs (5-6, 4-5) pulled out a wild CWAC win.

Prosser squandered a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and didn’t pull away again until finding a major advantage in the paint.

CONNELL 52, COLUMBIA (BURBANK) 49: Silas Chase scored 18 points and the host Eagles (7-3, 4-0) held off the Coyotes for an SCAC East win;

Reece Humphreys led Burbank (5-5, 2-2) with a game-high 20 points.

RIVER VIEW 60, COLLEGE PLACE 46: Darrin Roberts had 20 points 10 rebounds, Abel Khatthavong 12 points and 7 assists to lead the host Panthers (7-4, 2-3) to an SCAC East victory over the Hawks (3-6, 0-4).

TRI-CITIES PREP 73, DAYTON 30: Stefan Geist scored 25 points and Kobe Singleton 22 as the Jaguars (9-0, 4-0) outclassed the visiting Bulldogs in an EWAC contest.

Geist also had seven steals, four assists and seven rebounds, and Singleton three steals and four assists.

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Boys hoops: Sanderson steps up to lead Richland past Wa-Hi."