WALLA WALLA — Sophomore Dallas Reich scored a career-high 27 points Saturday afternoon in the Dietrich Dome, but it wasn’t enough to offset another Walla Walla defensive meltdown.
Stephen Walter, a 6-4 freshman out of Chiawana, poured in 37 points on 15-of-22 shooting from the field as Columbia Basin broke open a close contest in the final 10 minutes to defeat the Warriors 103-90 in an NWAACC East Region men’s basketball game.
The defeat, the second this week for a Walla Walla team that needed to win both in a longshot effort to keep its postseason hopes alive, was a disappointing exclamation point on Jeff Reinland’s 20th season as the Warriors’ head coach. WWCC finished 5-9 in the division and 12-17 overall.
“I think so,” Reinland said when asked if his players gave the effort he was looking for in a game that was played for pride and little else. “It’s just that we have so much trouble on defense. We can’t stop anyone.
“We’re scoring enough points to win games,” Reinland added. “But we gave up 89 to Blue Mountain on Wednesday and 103 tonight. And we came into the week allowing 86 points a game.
“Some guys are inclined to play defense and some aren’t, and I don’t think it’s for lack of effort or that we don’t work at it. Three years ago we allowed 67 points a game and led the NWAACC…”
The tournament-bound Hawks (9-5 in the East, 16-10 overall), shot 60 percent from the field, 42-of-70. Many of their baskets were uncontested lay-ins, but they were effective when defended as well.
“Columbia Basin is a tough matchup for us,” Reinland said. “They start five guards, and that makes it difficult for our big guys.”
Nevertheless, it was still a three-point game, 79-76, after Reich drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 9:47 remaining in the game and sank all three free throws. But in the next two minutes and 39 seconds, CBC scored 12 unanswered points to race to a 91-76 lead.
Walla Walla never got closer than 13 points after that.
Reich connected on 9-of-14 shots from the field and was 6-for-10 from 3-point distance during his career-best performance. Prince Lacey was WWCC’s only other double-figure scorer as he came off the bench to drill 7-of-13 3-pointers for 21 points.
Walla Walla shot 46 percent from the field overall and 42 percent from beyond the arc. It simply wasn’t good enough to keep pace with the red-hot Hawks.
“We have good kids who worked hard,” Reinland said. “But we don’t have a lot of fired-up guys. A lot of the guys on this team are a little more laid back. It’s just personalities.
“But at the end of the day, they are all good guys who were fun to be around. I just wish I could have done more for them as their coach.”
CBC 103, WWCC 90
COLUMBIA BASIN (103) — Lopez 8-10 0-0 17, King 0-1 2-2 2, Barrett 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 5-12 2-2 14, Oswalt 3-5 0-0 6, DeWitt 3-5 0-0 7, Zapien 6-10 0-0 12, Chase 0-0 0-0 0, Walter 15-22 7-9 37, Reddout 2-5 4-4 8, Duir 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 42-70 15-17 103.
WALLA WALLA (90) — Schetzle 4-8 0-0 9, Bravard 3-10 2-2 9, Allen 1-2 3-5 5, Underdahl 0-2 2-4 2, Sawyer 1-3 2-2 4, Reich 9-14 3-3 27, Lacey 7-13 0-0 21, Grooms 0-0 0-1 0, Richards 2-7 3-5 8, Nooner 2-4 1-2 5. Totals 29-63 16-24 90.
Halftime — CBC 50-43. 3-point goals — CBC 4-16 (Lopez 1-2, King 0-1, Smith 2-5, Oswalt 0-2, DeWitt 1-3, Walter 0-2, Reddout 0-1), WWCC 16-38 (Schetzle 1-4, Bravard 1-5, Underdahl 0-1, Reich 6-10, Lacey 7-13, Richards 1-3). Total fouls — CBC 17, WWCC 17. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — none. Rebounds — WWCC 37 (Nooner 6), CBC 35 (Smith 10). Turnovers — WWCC 16, CBC 10, Assists — CBC 19 (Lopez 8), WWCC 12 (Schetzle 6).
Article by Jim Buchan of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
