The talk around 1A boys basketball circles at the start of the season was that Annie Wright was the real deal, and everyone else was playing for second place. Well, if it’s any consolation, the talk was right, and it was Lynden Christian who won the race for second.
The Lyncs faced a quick, athletic, and extremely sticky defensive effort from the Annie Wright Gators, as the Gators defeated the Lyncs in the 1A boys state championship game, 59-46, Saturday night in the Yakima SunDome.
The quickness of the Lyncs, which is normally enough to create open shots and drives toward the hoop, were not as available against the Gators. The Lyncs did have their moments, but they came too few and far in between.
The Lyncs used a zone defense at the outset to keep the Gators in front of them, giving the outside shot and cutting off drives to the basket. In fact, it appeared the Lyncs were daring the Gators to shoot from the outside. When you are dared to shoot, and are unsuccessful, it can put bad thoughts in your head, and at the start, it looked like it might work.
The Gators put up some early 3-pointers that seemed to play into the Lyncs hands, except that senior guard Gabe Walsh didn’t get the memo.
Walsh came off the bench and never hesitated in draining two 3-point shots in the first quarter, helping the Gators to a 13-9 lead.
The quickness of the Lyncs guards was matched by the Gators. In fact, they even had length to go with their speed. The shots that sophomore guard Dawson Hintz created in yesterday’s 33-point performance were not there on this day. Hintz, at 6-0 was being guarded by the Gators 6-6 senior Noah Schow, which would be like shooting over the Space Needle.
The second quarter started with a bang as sophomore guard Gunnar Dykstra picked up where he left off on Friday by hitting a 3-pointer. Senior forward Luke VanKooten drained a pair of threes late in the half to keep the Lyncs close, but the Gators were able to keep the Lyncs at a safe distance. The Gators led 29-22 at halftime.
The Gators pulled further away from the Lyncs, holding them to seven third quarter points, and the lead grew to 14 points by the end of the quarter.
Gunnar Dykstra hit a 3-pointer in the third quarter, then added two more in the fourth quarter to excite the large Lyncs crowd. The first was in transition, set up nicely by senior brother Gannon. The second came by way of an offensive rebound by junior forward Boyce Robertson, who kicked the ball out to the waiting hands of Gunnar.
Those shots brought the Lyncs to within eight points of the Gators with over six minutes still to play. After that, Gunnar, at 5-9, found himself having to shoot over the Space Needle.
That run by the Lyncs was ended by Gator senior guard, Jeremiah Harshman, who drained a long 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock. The Gators were then able to push the lead up to 18 points.
Harshman led the Gators to their first state title in the short history of the school, with 20 points and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Senior Martin Kaupanger, who will play basketball at Indiana State, scored 10 points for the Gators.
The Lyncs, who were held to ten points below their previous low point total of the season, had only one player in double-figures, which was Gannon Dykstra, with ten points. Gannon was voted to the All-Tournament second team, as was Hintz, who managed only six points against the Gators.
Gunnar Dykstra scored nine points on three 3-pointers, while VanKooten and sophomore forward Kaden Veldman scored seven points each.
The Lyncs finish another tremendous season with a record of 24-3. In the spring, diplomas will be handed to Gannon Dykstra, Luke VanKooten, and Carter Ahlers.
The Gators take the Gold Ball away from the trio of Lynden Christian, Zillah, and Kings, who had rotated the championship trophy for the last ten tournaments. They finish with the Gold Ball and a record of 24-2.
~ Ted House
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