Nine-in-a-rowComets easily cruise past Ocosta, Valley

By PHIL RAISTAKKA

Observer corespondent

Photos by DAMIAN MULINIX/Chinook Observer

Kyle Burkhalter easily found spots around the court to get open looks Friday, despite at times being tripleteamed
by Valley defenders. Burkhalter had 15 points in the game.

Naselle’s Austin Burkhalter swoops to the basket for a break-away hoop in the first half of Friday’s 70-39 win over Valley. Burkhalter led the team in scoring with 17 points.

Willapa Valley’s Andrew Johnson leaps to try and block a pass by Naselle’s John Hines in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game. It seemed that no amount of defense by the Vikings could stop the Comets attack in the game.

Nine-in-a-rowComets easily cruise past Ocosta, Valley to extend streak, move into first place tie

NASELLE - The winning streak continues! Nine wins in succession and 10 wins in their last 11 games is the record the Naselle Comets boys will take into the next to last week of the regular basketball season. The Comets continued their mid-season winning streak by running over the Willapa Valley Vikings in a Pacific League game Friday night, in Naselle's Lyle Patterson Gym, 70-39.The direction of this game was established early when Naselle opened with a 17-0 run in the first six and a half minutes. Austin Burkhalter drained a 3-ball from the corner only a few seconds into the game and the pattern was set. Alan Erickson was inadvertently poked in the face a few seconds later and Gabe See was inserted as his replacement - Erickson was able to return later. See promptly dropped in his first shot off Nick Hines' second assist in the young game to give the Comets a 5-0 start.Kyle Burkhalter and Conor Smith each added five points, in addition to two free throws by See, and the Comets had 17 points before their defense had given the Vikings many good looks at the hoop. The Comets "D" was to be instrumental in holding the Vikings to only 35 percent shooting for the game. Valley's Andrew Johnson finally broke the Vikings dry spell with a bucket with 1:20 left in the period.The Comets cranked up the intensity another notch as the second period got underway. Their full-court pressure defense and impressive backboard work, especially by Smith, did not allow the Vikings many chances at the hoop while the Comets hot-shooting offense (51 percent for the game) continued where it had left off in the first quarter. The result was an 18-2 second period where the Vikings scored their only points of the quarter at the 2:30 mark. The Burkhalter brothers led the Naselle second period scoring with 13 combined points and the Comets went in at the half with a commanding 35-8 lead.Naselle had been subbing seven players in and out of the game through the early going then pulled back the full court pressure defense early in the third period. The result was that the Vikings were able to get drives to the hoop a little more easily than they had been able to against the press, and the Valley guards benefited. Freshman Matt Friese scored seven points in the third period and Johnson put in five points as the Vikings won the third quarter battle 15-12. Leading 47-23 going into the final eight minutes, the Naselle bench was able to expand on that lead. Eight different Comets scored in the quarter as nine of the 10 Comets scored in the game. Nick Hines, the only Comet who did not score, was among the Comets leaders in assists. With that balance, Naselle finished with a 23-16 fourth period for their 31 point win.Naselle's nine scorers were led by three double digit shooters, Austin Burkhalter with 17 (including two 3-balls), Kyle Burkhalter with 15 and Conor Smith with 14 points and also a monstrous 15 rebounds for a double-double. The three Comets reached that point plateau after playing in only about three-fourths of the game. Leonel Mendoza and Drew Macy also each connected on late game three point shots. Smith and John Hines each had an old-fashioned three point play on a basket plus a free throw.Naselle coach Brian Macy said, "It was a solid team effort all the way around. Defensively we played very well in the first half and offensively we got good looks at the hoop and knocked them down. This is an effort we can continue to build on."The win assured the Comets of a tie for the Pacific League title until, at least, this week's games. The Comets came out of the Valley game tied with Tacoma Baptist for the league lead and the Comets hope to build on that lead with two crucial league games this week, against South Bend at home this Thursday and at Tacoma Baptist on Saturday. Naselle is now 9-2 in league, and 11-5 overall. Valley dropped to 0-10 in league games. Tacoma Baptist is also at 9-2 in league, but owns the tie-breaker over the Comets. Thus, this Saturday's game in Tacoma could take on even more significance.In addition to trying to win the league title, finishing high in the league standings has the attention of the Comets. The top two teams in the league get a first round bye in the district tournament. The next two league places, 3rd and 4th, have their first round tournament game at home, in a loser out format. The fifth and sixth place teams in the league have to travel to the opposing league's third and fourth place teams for a single elimination game.

Willapa Valley 6 2 15 16 - 39

Naselle 17 18 12 23 - 70

Willapa Valley (39) - Andrew Johnson 11, M. Friese 7, Freeman 6, Nissell 5, Bolden 5, Lundy 3, Colburn 2, Mayfield;

FG - 16-46 (35%),

FT - 5-10 (50%);

Rebounds: Freeman 9

Naselle (70) - Austin Burkhalter 17, Kyle Burkhalter 15, Conor Smith 14, See 6, Erickson 4, Sultemeier 4, Macy 4, J. Hines 3, Mendoza 3, N. Hines;

FG - 27-53 (51%).

FT -12-18 (67%);

Rebounds (27): Smith 15;

Assists: K. Burkhalter 4, N. Hines 3, Sultemeier 3;

Steals: A. Burkhalter 3;

Turnovers: (12)

JV: Naselle 76 Willapa Valley 55