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By Drew Lawson
The Record-Times 

Davenport routs Columbia to advance to state title game

Gorillas will take on Brewster for state crown

 

Last updated 3/3/2023 at 8:33pm

Drew Lawson | The Record-Times

SPOKANE-After the No. 4 Columbia (Burbank) Coyotes blew the doors off No. 3 Lake Roosevelt in the second half of a quarterfinal matchup Thursday, one might have wondered if the young and talented Coyotes could challenge No. 1 Davenport for a state title.

The Gorillas showed in the 2B state semifinals Friday that that was not the case, never trailing against Columbia en route to a convincing 76-52 win at the Spokane Arena Friday, March 3.

Davenport advanced to the state championship game with the victory.

The Gorillas were rarely challenged all night Friday, jumping out to a 10-0 lead. Columbia managed to score six straight after that, but Davenport responded by pushing the lead back to 10 at 21-11.

"We know they're good and we know that we have to push it to get things going," Davenport senior Brenick Soliday said. "That's our identity and that's how we're going to go the distance."

Davenport made a statement with the three-point shot early after not converting once against Northwest Christian in the quarterfinals.

Soliday and Jaeger Jacobsen combined to knock down three treys in the first quarter. Cash Colbert added six points and six rebounds in the period to give Davenport the early edge.

"Hitting threes takes a lot of pressure off everyone," Soliday said. "Yesterday we weren't able to hit it, but we were more confident and comfortable back on the floor."

The Gorillas weren't done. Davenport pushed the lead to 42-22 by halftime behind 12 points from Tennessee Rainwater, 10 points and eight rebounds from Colbert and nine points on three treys from Soliday.

"We have a really well-rounded team this year, and we took advantage of that this game," Colbert said. "Last game we didn't hit as many shots as we needed team, and that kind of put a downer on us since we're more of an inside-out team...This game we executed very well because they double-teamed on our bigs, we kicked it out and were able to hit threes."

Columbia briefly cut the lead to 42-28 with a pair of threes in the first quarter, but Davenport made sure the Coyotes wouldn't go on one of their patented hot streaks, pushing the lead back to 20 in a jiffy.

"We really focused on the first four minutes of that third quarter knowing they were going to give us everything they can," Davenport head coach Matt Henry said.

That 20-point lead held for the rest of the game, and a strong contingent of red-and-white clad fans roared through the Arena knowing Davenport was one win away from the first state title in program history.

"When little towns like this have the success, everybody's in there and everybody feels like they're a part of it, because they truly are," Henry said. "From our little bitty ball tournament that we put on on President's Day, it's just something that everybody has a part to play. They volunteer, they come to games, they've done these things and so they've earned this just as much as anybody."

Drew Lawson | The Record-Times

Rainwater had another big game with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Colbert added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Soliday had 14 points and Jacobsen had 10 points for the Gorillas.

Tristan Frimodt had 17 points and Quincy Scott had 16 points for the Coyotes.

Davenport will play for the state championship against No. 5 Brewster, which erased a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat Lind-Ritzville/Sprague in another semifinal game Friday.

"It's going to feel awesome. We have to bring it just as hard," Colbert said. "We need to get some rest get some recovery in and hopefully the same outcome will happen."

The Gorillas and Bears will face off at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 4 at the Spokane Arena.

Author Bio

Drew Lawson, Editor

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Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.

 

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