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Colfax boys hold off Gorillas for league title

Davenport had a 1-point lead with 2:30 left in the game

COLFAX — With a rebound and two free throws, Colfax's John Lustig sealed a 68-63 win in the NE2B boys basketball league championship game Friday night, June 18, over the Davenport Gorillas.

The Bulldogs entered the championship as the No. 3 district seed; Davenport was No. 4.

Colfax upset No. 2-seed St. George's to make the championship earlier this week. At the same time, Davenport ended the top-ranked Liberty (Spangle) Lancers' season.

In the championship game, the Bulldogs broke open a 10-point lead just before halftime on their home court and kept it until late in the fourth quarter.

That's when Davenport exploded to take a 1-point lead with 2:30 left.

Lustig then scored in the lane for Colfax. Seth Lustig - John Lustig's younger brother - hit two free throws. John Lustig got the last rebound after a series of Gorilla misses on their last possession.

Early in the game, the score was tied after 8 minutes.

John Lustig broke open the game for a 29-21 lead, and capped off the half with pass to Damian Demler, who put Colfax up 32-22.

Starting the fourth quarter, Davenport cut the lead to 6, then 4, though they kept missing shots.

The Gorillas cut the margin to 1 point after a Seth Lustig charging call with 2:51 left. They took the lead, 60-59, on an outside shot.

John Lustig then followed his own shot to put Colfax back up one.

A Davenport travel ended the next possession and John Lustig drove for a foul and another score.

Davenport answered, cutting the lead back to 1 point again, before Seth Lustig made 2 free throws and the Gorillas had one last possession to tie.

With 15 seconds left, Davenport missed several shots and John Lustig came down with the final rebound.

Author Bio

Garth Meyer, Reporter

Author photo

Garth Meyer is a reporter and sports writer with Free Press Publishing, based in Colfax, Wash., at the Whitman County Gazette.

 

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