COOS BAY — Westside Christian used a pair of early spurts to outlast Harrisburg 56-48 Friday and advance to the championship sport of the Class 3A state event at Marshfield Excessive Faculty.
The Eagles face two-time defending champion Cascade Christian on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. as they search the elusive title.
To achieve the championship sport, Westside Christian needed to overcome a troublesome effort by Harrisburg, which overcame an early 8-0 deficit by scoring 15 straight factors to stick with Westside deep into the second half.
However twice, Westside Christian was brief on runs that finally proved to be an excessive amount of to beat.
Harrisburg had a two-point lead and the ball within the closing minute of the third quarter when three straight turnovers led to seven quick breaks and a 43-38 lead for Westside Christian heading into the ultimate eight minutes.
“Our protection drives the whole lot,” Westside Christian's Dax Hanzlik stated. “We have now our pests up entrance (guards Kahlid Hodge, Jack Leland and Will Ficker) and we're blocking pictures inside our submit.
“Typically we don't get pictures and we get power from protection.
Harrisburg recovered from that spurt and the groups battled forwards and backwards for the primary half of the fourth quarter earlier than one other large spurt.
Harrisburg missed a tied 3-pointer with just below 4 minutes remaining and Leland hit one for Westside Christian on the different finish whereas a teammate was fouled off the ball. That gave possession again to Westside Christian and Hanzlik made a three-point play that was an excessive amount of for Harrisburg to beat.
“We tried exhausting,” Harrisburg coach Terry Crabb stated. “Can't fault our effort.
“We simply had too many turnovers on the fallacious time. They're so quick.”
The Harrisburg crowd, which had been loud all through the sport, was on the verge of erupting if their triple penetrated halfway by means of the fourth, and the following 6-0 spurt fueled the Westside Christian followers.
“Their crowd fired me up,” Leland stated. “Six straight factors made our crowd go loopy.
They count on a equally loud crowd for the championship sport, the place they may attempt to do what they did not do final 12 months and win the ultimate sport.
“We wish to win the championship,” Hanzlík stated. “Final 12 months was powerful. We wish the blue trophy.”
Harrisburg, in the meantime, will attempt to bounce again from a troublesome loss within the third-place sport.
Crabb stated he anticipated his staff to bounce again on this contest.
“I've already instructed them, 'If I instructed you at first of the 12 months you have been going to go 23-6 and get third place, would you are taking it?'” he stated. “They stated 'Yeah.' I stated, 'Go for it.'”
Hanzlík had 19 factors, Ficker 12, Leland 10 and Hodge eight to steer Westside Christian.
Jack Lidbeck had 4 3-pointers and 14 factors to steer Harrisburg. Terren Crabb added 12, Jackson Davis 11 and Jayden Bellinger eight.