Richland hoops wins Tacoma Winter Classic opener
The Richland Bombers flexed their muscles on the road Thursday, and they got to use some muscles they don’t normally get to use in a 79-52 win over South Kitsap in the Tacoma Winter Classic at Curtis High School.
Richland (3-1) used all 12 players on its roster in the opening game of the eight-team, bracket-style tournament, getting everybody some quality minutes as the Bombers won their third in a row.
“It did take us six hours to get here, but everybody gave a positive performance. We played really the way we can play and pushed the pace,” Richland coach Earl Streufert said. “It was an opportunity to find out what everybody can do, and he guys really played well together. It was probably our best effort so far.”
Steven Beo (21 points) and Landon Radliff (22 points, 6 assists, 4 steals) combined for 43 points, but it was junior Tyler Kurtz who really broke out, hitting 6 of 10 shots from the 3-point arc for 22 points.
“(Kurtz) struggled last week with his shooting, but he really got back to being really comfortable,” Streufert said of the 6-foot-5 forward.
The Bombers shot well from 3-point territory, hitting 17 of 32 shots — six apiece from Kurtz and Radliff and three more from Beo.
Richland started hot, jumping out of the gate with a 28-10 first-quarter advantage and building it into a 53-24 halftime lead.
Riley Sorn, the Bombers 7-foot center, was effective in the middle, recording nine rebounds and seven blocked shots as South Kitsap shot just 29 percent (18-for-62) from the field.
Richland will face Prairie (4-1) in the semifinals at 7 p.m. today.
RICHLAND: Wagar, Landon Radliff 22, Steven Beo 21, Tyler Kurtz 22, Sorn 4, Stevens, Northrop 8, Streufert, Sanderson 2, Galliher, Wills, Smith. Totals: 30-64 2-2 79.
SOUTH KITSAP: Bayne 2, Byrd, Eric Waitree 27, Tomkiewicz 6, Isiah Lewis 12, Strutz 3, McMorris, Williams 2, Rowan, Al-Rashrani, Schmidt. Totals: 18-62 11-17 52.
Richland | 28 | 25 | 12 | 14 | — | 79 |
South Kitsap | 10 | 14 | 10 | 18 | — | 52 |
Highlights — Rebounds: R 39 (Riley Sorn 9), SK 34 (Eric Waitree 10); 3-pointers: R 17-32 (Radliff 6, Kurtz 6, Beo 3), SK 5-20 (Waitree 4); Turnovers: R 14, SK 14; Assists: R 23 (Radliff 6), SK 11 (Lewis 3); Radliff 4 steals; Sorn 7 blocks.
GIRLS HOOPS
CONNELL 71, MAC-HI 22: Kassin Hopkins had 31 points and six assists in the Eagles’ nonleague road victory Wednesday night.
CONNELL: Riner 5, Kassin Hopkins 31, Smith 2, Peterson 2, Whitby 4, Hawkins 8, Wallin 17, Pickel 2.
MAC-HI: Carter 4, Field 5, Erb 5, Richwine 8.
Connell | 25 | 13 | 16 | 17 | — | 71 |
Mac-Hi | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2 | — | 22 |
Highlights — Riner 6 rebounds; Hopkins 6 assists.
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 10:10 PM with the headline "Richland hoops wins Tacoma Winter Classic opener."