Raider boys take third place in league

After a tough week, the Raider boys finished the 2014-15 regular basketball season in third place in the Central Washington 2B North League standings.

In league play, the Raiders earned a 9-5 win-loss record, and overall the Raiders finished 12-8.

In the last week of the regular season LR lost both games to Brewster and Okanogan.

"We battled against both teams, both of which are very talented and ready for postseason play," Head Coach Matt Simpson said. "They have both been further than us, and it shows, but we are raising the level of expectations for ourselves into this week."

LR started the last week of the season at the North champion Brewster gym. The Raiders were looking to be spoilers after Okanogan had handed the Bears their first loss in league play Jan. 30. But LR's hopes were dashed as they fell behind early, ending the first quarter 17-6.

LR had no answers for the Bears and at halftime Brewster's lead had grown to 24. The Raiders lost 75-36.

LR shot only 14 percent from behind the three-point arc, going 3 of 21. At the free-throw line, the Raiders hit 53 percent, making 8 of 15 free throws. Jackson Louie led the team with nine points and four rebounds. Chance Garvin was the high steal man with two.

After the defeat at Brewster, the Raiders were looking to upset the Okanogan Bulldogs in Coulee Dam for their own senior night. LR put all the seniors on the floor to start and the game was close. Senior Austin Rosenbaum scored the first Raider basket of the night.

Coach Simpson praised Rosenbaum for his play during this stretch of the season. "Austin Rosenbaum has really been playing big for us scoring- and rebounding-wise," Simpson noted.

Then the Bulldogs got on a roll and built an eight-point lead going into the second quarter. Okanogan entered a scoring drought, but LR was not making the needed baskets to come back. At the end of the first half, Okanogan was ahead of the Raiders 43-27.

In the third quarter both offenses were revitalized, with each squad scoring over 20 points. At the end of three quarters, the Bulldogs were still ahead by the score of 69-48. In the fourth, the Raiders ran out of gas and the Bulldogs cruised to the 86-61 win.

LR's three-point shooting improved against Okanogan to 25 percent, making five of 20 from the field. At the free-throw line LR stayed at 53 percent.

Jacob Palmer was the high-point man with 17 against Okanogan. Garvin and Palmer each pulled down six rebounds.

LR is looking past the two losses and focusing on their district game against Warden tonight at 8:30 p.m.

"I expect us to be very focused, hard working, and ready to play our best basketball moving forward," Simpson said, noting they plan to "put a full game together" against Warden tonight at the district tournament at East Wenatchee's Eastmont Middle School.

Warden finished the season 15-5 overall and 8-2 in Central Washington South play. If LR wins, they take on the winner of the Brewster/Tonasket game at Eastmont High School on Saturday at 2:45 p.m.

If the Raiders lose to Warden, they play the loser of the Brewster/Tonasket at 2:45 p.m. in the Eastmont Middle School gym on Saturday.

Scoring at Brewster

1 2 3 4 Final

Brew 17 22 22 14 75

LR 6 9 12 10 37

Desautel 0, Garvin 6, Jackson Louie 9, Jesse Louie 2, Nault 2, Nicholson 6, Nomee 2, Palmer 4, Redstar 4, Rosenbaum 2

Scoring vs Okanogan

1 2 3 4 Final

OK 19 24 26 17 86

LR 11 16 21 13 61

Desautel 0, Garvin 8, Holt 0, Jackson Louie 6, Jesse Louie 8, Nault 4, Nicholson 2, Nomee 0, Palmer 17, Redstar 4, Rosenbaum 12.