Clutch play gives Reardan championship win

REARDAN – The Screaming Eagles’ boys basketball team won overtime nail-biters against Soap Lake and Wellpinit to win the championship at the 76th annual Lions Club Christmas Tournament Dec. 28-29.

When the gym’s scoreboard went black before the Screaming Eagles tipped-off against 1B opponent Soap Lake, who knew that it was just taking a short rest before Freshman Maveric Sobotta lit it up with 31 points in the Screaming Eagles 63-58 overtime win Thursday, Dec. 28.

Sobotta played like a beast from the start. He drove the lane, attacked the basket and rebounded with authority. In the first quarter, Sobotta scored 12 points and pulled down six rebounds to help the Screaming Eagles to a 22-16 lead.

Soap Lake shooters were deadly from long range in the first half, hitting seven 3-point shots to keep them in the game. They were led by senior Trey Lanndeck, who scored 16 first half points. Seconds before halftime, Soap Lake closed to within two points of the Screaming Eagles, but Sobotta struck again. He hit a buzzer beater from behind the 3-point line to give him 19 points for the half which extended Reardan’s lead to 37-32.

In the second half, the Soap Lake Eagles continued to convert long-rang shots from downtown. They made five more to give them 12 for the game.

At the end of three quarters, Reardan led 51-48. It clung to a 61-59 lead with two minutes left in the game until Soap Lake tied it at 61 to send the game into overtime.

That was when Rysen Soliday took over. Soap Lake could not defend against his drives to the basket and his soft-touch jumpers. Soliday scored six of his 19 points in the overtime period to secure the Screaming Eagles' 73-68 win.

Besides Sobotta’s 31 points, he pulled down a game high 15 rebounds.

Down the stretch, Zander Thornton and Cohen Little scored big buckets to help secure the win. Little ended the game with five points and Thornton had four.

Evan Krupke played a solid game on both ends of the court. He scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Fred Frolov scored 2 points and pulled down six rebounds.

Lanndeck scored 31 points for Soap Lake.

“Tonight, I had the mindset to get after it and to pick up the pace,” Sobotta said. “I didn’t play any different from how I normally do. I just took what the defense gave me.”

Sobotta said the key to his team’s victory was a strong defense and their commitment to improve their rebounding.

He said Rysen Soliday was the difference maker when the game was on the line.

“He came up clutch in overtime with his big shots,” Sobotta said.

The Screaming Eagles’ win pitted them against NE1B Wellpinit in the championship game Friday, Dec. 29. The Redskins earned their way to the championship game by defeating Manson in their first round matchup.

In the first quarter, Wellpinit and Reardan traded baskets, which was a trend that would continue throughout the game. Soliday scored six points for the Screaming Eagles and Andrew Moyer tossed in eight for the Redskins. Freshman Fred Frolov came off the bench and made an immediate impact for Reardan by scoring four points and grabbing several rebounds.

The quarter ended with Wellpinit holding a 15-14 lead.

Reardan’s Zander Thornton found his shooting touch in the second quarter in what was to become a big game for him. His six points, along with eight points between Sobotta and Soliday, gave the Screaming Eagles’ a three point lead until the last second of the half when Wellpinit’s Ely Leyva drained a three at the buzzer to tie the game at 30-30.

Thornton’s hot shooting continued in the third quarter. He scored nine of Reardan’s 16 points to give his team a four point cushion, 46-42, going into the last frame.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Screaming Eagles stretched their lead to 53-46. With their foot on the gas, it appeared they would cruise to a comfortable win.

Wellpinit fought back.

Grant Denison and Franky Wynn hit clutch buckets to draw Wellpinit to within two points. Denison tied the game at 61 with 40 ticks left on the clock to send the game into overtime.

Much like Soliday asserted himself in the overtime period the night before, he did the same thing in the late stages of this game. Three times in the waning minutes, he beat his defender on baseline drives to the basket to score points.

With one minute left in overtime, the score was tied 65-65.

Soliday scored again with 47 seconds left to give Reardan a 68-65 lead. On Wellpinit’s next possession, Soliday rebounded a missed shot and fired the ball the length of the court to Thornton, who lay it in for the 72-66 championship win.

Soliday led all scorers with 28 points and pulled down six rebounds.

Thornton scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Sobotta had his second double-double of the tournament. He scored 13 points and led his team with 10 rebounds.

Frolov scored seven points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Evan Krupke scored two points to go with his five rebounds.

Landon Bell got his name in the score book, making one of his two free throw attempts.

Moyer led the Redskins in points with 17, followed by Denison and Wynne with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

“We gained a lot of experience over the last two games,” Reardan head coach Jake Green said.

“I’m very proud of the team. We didn’t panic when the other team battled back. We stayed composed and did what we needed to do. Our kids made a lot of big-time plays.”

“In our first game, Maveric (Sobotta) proved he is a player,” Green said. “When he’s feeling free and loose, a lot of good things can happen. We want our entire team to play that way because that is when they are having fun.”

“And Rysen, he’s a great kid,” Green said. “The kids can count on him at any point in time. He comes through in the clutch and when things need to be done, he speaks up and makes sure it happens. Reardan is fortunate to have a kid like him.”

For Green, the game was bittersweet.

“I am from Wellpinit. I love Wellpinit,” he said. “It was really hard for me to try to beat them. I’m struggling with how to feel because it was against them. I coached some of their kids and love coach Billy Flett. I’m thankful to them.”

The win improved Reardan’s record to 5-5. With the loss, Wellpinit is 7-2.

Reardan’s next game will be at Asotin Friday, Jan. 5 followed by a home game against Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Saturday, Jan. 6.