1B Tri-District: Lummi Nation Boys, Girls Win

The Lummi Nation boys and girls basketball teams were tested and passed with flying colors at the Class 1B Tri-District 1/2/3 tournaments on Thursday, Feb. 20, at Mount Vernon Christian High School.

The Lummi Nation boys beat Rainier Christian, 75-63, in the semifinals and now advance to the tri-district championship game against Muckleshoot Tribal School on Saturday at 7 p.m. Both finalists have already qualified for the regional round of the Class 1B state tournament.

The Lummi Nation girls, however, needed a win Thursday to keep their state dreams alive, and they got it with a 45-40 victory over Tulalip Heritage.

The Lady Blackhawks now advance to the consolation finals against No.14 Tacoma Baptist (17-6) on Saturday at noon. The winner qualifies for the state regionals, and the loser’s season will be over.

For lots more great photos from the Lummi Nation’s boys game, check out the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page tomorrow.

Boys: Blackhawks Take Care Of Rainier Christian

No.3 Lummi Nation (23-3) won for the 17th time in its last 18 games and continued to be undefeated against 1B competition by beating No.7 Rainier Christian (18-6). But it wasn’t easy.

Without their main inside player — Tyran Lane, who was forced to sit out the game — the Blackhawks were wholly dependent on their outside game. Fortunately, they have a pretty good outside game.

Duncan Toby took up the slack Thursday with a game-high and career-high 33 points, including 13 in the final period as Rainier Christian tried in vain to come back. The sophomore guard hit six 3-pointers and was 5-for-5 from the line.

Toby got lots of help from the rest of the Blackhawks. Senior guard Caleb Revey and junior forward Jaie Leighton had 12 points each, and freshman forward Richard Wilson added 10 points.

“Rainier Christian is a good ball club and they made us work for the W tonight,” said Duncan’s dad, Lummi Nation coach Jerome Toby. “We had boys step up tonight. I don’t know how to say it, but I was a proud father tonight.”

And a proud coach. His Blackhawks now will go after a second straight tri-district title when they take on another top-10 team on Saturday. No.6 Muckleshoot Tribal School (18-6) knocked off Chief Kitsap Academy, 55-49, in Thursday’s other semifinal.

Lummi Nation 75, Rainier Christian 63
Rainier Christian                      12    17    15    19—63
Lummi Nation                          18    24    16    17—75

Rainier Christian: Mason Homolka 18, CJ Thomas, Rory Nelson 7, Ethan Thomas 10, Landen Bruce 26, Zach Knott 2.

Lummi Nation: Franklin Whiteman 2, Caleb Revey 12, William Hetland 3, Duncan Toby 33, Richard Wilson 10, Jaie Leighton 12, Moses Seymour 3, Patrick Sturgeon.

CLASS 1B TRI-DISTRICT 1/2/3

Saturday, Feb. 15
Lopez 54, Neah Bay 53 (loser out)
Mount Vernon Christian 59, Evergreen Lutheran 55 (loser out)
Puget Sound Advent 65, Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace) 46 (loser out)
Tacoma Baptist 67, Tulalip Heritage 59 (loser out)

Tuesday, Feb. 18
Lummi Nation 72, Mount Vernon Christian 38
Rainier Christian 66, Lopez 35
Chief Kitsap Academy 53, Puget Sound Advent 50
Muckleshoot Tribal School 52, Tacoma Baptist 48

Thursday, Feb. 20
Mount Vernon Christian 72, Lopez 37 (winner to regionals, loser out)
Tacoma Baptist 55, Puget Sound Advent 22 (winner to regionals, loser out)
Lummi Nation 75, Rainier Christian 63
Muckleshoot Tribal School 55, Chief Kitsap Academy 49

Saturday, Feb. 22
Rainier Christian vs. Chief Kitsap Academy at Mount Vernon Christian, 3:30 (winner third, loser fourth; both to regionals)
Lummi Nation vs. Muckleshoot Tribal School at Mount Vernon Christian, 7 p.m. (winner first, loser second; both to regionals)

Girls: Lady Blackhawks Beat Rival Tulalip Heritage

No.20 Lummi Nation (15-9) beat rival No.21 Tulalip Heritage (13-8) for the third time this season, but like the other two times, it was a battle from start to finish.

While the Hawks used their height advantage — specifically 6-foot-1 sophomore center Jacinta Myles-Gilford, who had 22 points — the Lady Blackhawks used their quickness to hold off Tulalip Heritage.

“It was very physical on both ends of the floor,” said coach Michael Wade, who is trying to take Lummi Nation back to state for the first time since 2012. “But our girls stepped up late in the fourth and forced some key turnovers that led to key baskets.”

Leading the charge were freshman guard Aliesha Solomon and her cousin, junior center Alayla Solomon, each of whom had 12 points. Junior guard Shaylynn Jojola added 9 points, including six in the second quarter when Lummi Nation took the lead.

“Aliesha Solomon stepped up big time tonight, scoring a team-high 12 points and constantly creating havoc on the defensive end,” said Wade.

“And I was very proud of Shaylynn’s play off the bench. She brought great energy on both ends of the floor and gave us a scoring bursting the first half when we were struggling.”

Lummi Nation 45, Tulalip Heritage 40
Tulalip Heritage                                 10    12    6    12—40
Lummi Nation                                      9    15    7    14—45

Tulalip Heritage: Hazel Blacktomahawk, Nickoyia Fryberg, Deachae Jones 4, Shalana McLean, Claudia Parker 6, Tavionna Jones, Jacynta Myles-Gilford 22, Krislyn Parks 8.

Lummi Nation: Aliesha Solomon 12, Raven Solomon 6, Rian Greene 2, Shaylynn Jojola 9, Keyonee Morris, Ashtin McElderry 4, Serena Pantalia, Alayla Solomon 12.

CLASS 1B TRI-DISTRICT 1/2/3

Saturday, Feb. 15
Lummi Nation 54, Quilcene 33 (loser out)
Clallam Bay 59, Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace) 35 (loser out)
Puget Sound Advent 44, Grace Academy 39 (loser out)
Tulalip Heritage 57, Rainier Christian 45(loser out)

Tuesday, Feb. 18
Muckleshoot Tribal School 45, Lummi Nation 41
Clallam Bay 60, Tacoma Baptist 46
Mount Vernon Christian 43, Puget Sound Advent 30
Neah Bay 60, Tulalip Heritage 30

Thursday, Feb. 20
Tacoma Baptist 35, Puget Sound Advent 31 (loser out)
Lummi Nation 45, Tulalip Heritage 40 (loser out)
Mount Vernon Christian 58, Clallam Bay 50
Neah Bay 71, Muckleshoot Tribal School 25

Saturday, Feb. 22
Lummi Nation vs. Tacoma Baptist at Mount Vernon Christian HS, noon (winner fifth, to regionals; loser out)
Clallam Bay vs. Muckleshoot Tribal School at Mount Vernon Christian HS, 1:45 p.m. (winner third, loser fourth; both to regionals)
Neah Bay vs. Mount Vernon Christian at Mount Vernon Christian HS, 5:15 p.m. (winner first, loser second; both to regionals)

Jim Carberry of Whatcom Hoops

Author
Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.

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