Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Gorillas clinch state berth against Tonasket
Davenport senior Brenick Soliday rises up for a three-pointer against Tonasket. Soliday scored 12 points in the Gorillas' 72-49 win over the Tigers to clinch a state berth Friday, Feb. 17.
SPOKANE VALLEY - It's felt rather inevitable all season, but now it's official: The Davenport boys basketball team is going to state for the first time since 2010.
The Gorillas clinched that state berth after pulling away from Tonasket 72-49 in the District 6/7 2B Boys Crossover at West Valley High School Friday, Feb. 17.
Davenport was subsequently named the top seed in the state tournament when the brackets were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 19.
The Gorillas controlled the pace for most of the evening against Tonasket, but the Tigers weren't going away without a fight. Davenport jumped out to a 16-9 first quarter lead behind six points apiece from Tennessee Rainwater and Brenick Soliday,
However, Rainwater, who continues to play through a hip flexor injury suffered in the semifinals of the District 7 Tournament, picked up two quick fouls, forcing him out of a roughly eight-minute stretch in the first half.
Davenport was able to expand its lead to 33-18 by halftime behind 10 points from Soliday. Rainwater picked up his third foul late in the second quarter, but had nine first-half points.
Cash Colbert and Jaeger Jacobsen had six points apiece by intermission to aide the balanced Gorilla attack that also held Tonasket's best player, Tyler Duchow, scoreless in the first 16 minutes.
That didn't last long. Duchow exploded for 12 third quarter points in a period that Rainwater sat for much of due to foul trouble. Colbert scored nine points in the quarter to keep Davenport in front, but Tonasket made things interesting by cutting the deficit to six points behind Duchow's shooting prowess.
In the fourth quarter, Rainwater ended any hopes Tonasket had of pulling off what likely would've been the biggest upset in the state this year. The senior scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to finish with a game high 28 as the Gorillas pulled away.
Colbert added his second-straight double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Soliday was the third Gorilla in double figures with 12 points.
"The first couple quarters we came out just a little flat," Colbert said. "Toward the end of that quarter, we got more involved with the post and Tennessee and I just went to work down there and they couldn't guard it. Hopefully we're starting that a little earlier next game."
Davenport will open its state tournament run with an opening round game against No. 8 Adna at Cheney High School at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24.
"It's a long time to wait for a whole week of basketball, so (we're) making sure that we're having fun and keeping this a fun game, because at the end of the day it's just fun to be with these guys," Davenport head coach Matt Henry said.
A Gorilla win would put Davenport into the quarterfinals at the Spokane Arena the following Thursday, while a loss sends the team to a loser-out game at the Arena the following Wednesday.
That eventual Spokane Arena appearance will be the Davenport boys' first since 2010, when the Gorillas finished third at state.
"We just have to be ready," Colbert said. "Everybody wants it just as bad as us...we just have to come out and bring it."
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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