Comets break TBS tie Naselle boys can clinch Pacific League title at home Saturday night

By PHIL RAISTAKKAObserver corespondent

TACOMA - The Tacoma Baptist (TBS) Crusaders boys, the 10th-ranked team in the state class 2B basketball poll, had been practically unbeatable on their home court, going 11-1 this season, prior to Saturday's showdown with the Naselle Comets. The two teams were tied for the Pacific League lead with 10-2 records coming into this game, but TBS had the tie-breaker because of a 59-51 win over the Comets at Naselle in the fifth game of the season on Dec. 15. That loss, incidentally, was the last time that the Comets lost a game to a similarly sized class 2B school.This game, for the outright league lead, saw the Comets run away with the win by a 68-55 margin Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Crusaders gym. The Comets league record climbed to 11-2, 13-6 overall, with one league game left in the regular season. The Crusaders fell to 10-3 in league, 15-4 overall, and also have one game remaining. The win assured the Comets of at least a tie for the league championship as Tacoma Baptist and Northwest Christian each have three losses.Naselle, just as in the first game against the Crusaders and in most of their games since then, had three players score in double digits. Austin Burkhalter led the Naselle scorers with 21 points, Nathan Sultemeier was right on his heels with 20 points and was 9-for-10 on his free throws, and Conor Smith had a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, and he added 5 assists. The other four members of the Comets seven player rotation, Kyle Burkhalter with 6, Gabe See 5, Alan Erickson 4, Nick Hines 2, all added points to the Naselle total.The Crusaders were also led by three double digit scorers: Barclay Tuell with 22 points, freshman point guard Isaiah Hamlin with 16, and Adam Mears with 10, who kept the Crusaders within hailing distance of the Comets. The other seven TB players provided seven points to the Crusaders total.In contrast to their game early this season, where the Comets were playing catch-up throughout the game, Naselle took the lead early and led at all of the quarter stops in this one. Naselle had their best shooting game of the year at 63 percent on 22 fof 35 shooting, and they shot 65 percent from the charity stripe to help account for their wire-to-wire win.The Comets led 18-11 after one quarter, 32-23 at the half, after a 14-12 second period. The Comets didn't ease off the throttle after the break, adding an 18-13 third period, to lead by as much as 20 points, and earn a 14 point lead, 50-36, after three periods. With the issue decided, the Crusaders outscored the Comets 19-18 in the fourth quarter as the Comets went home with their 13 point win.Coach Brian Macy said, "We came out with good intensity and maintained it throughout the game. We played well as a team, it really didn't seem to matter what combination of players were on the floor; they stepped up and played well. We had a few players who were not 100 percent. After a stop on the way up two players got sick after eating, and another who's back has been bothering him, but they sucked it up and played very well."(We have) Another big game this Saturday which may change with tie-breaking scenarios (I don't know for sure). A win not only gives us the league title outright, but gives us the number one seed into the district tourney."A win in the Comets one remaining league game, against Northwest Christian in Naselle's Lyle Patterson Gym tentatively scheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 9, after the girls game, will clinch the Pacific League title for the Comets. The boys game will conclude a day with four games as the girls and boys JVs and varsity teams will all see action against the Navigators.A first place league finish would place the Comets in the Pacific League #1 position in the District IV 2B Tournament, giving them their first district game on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 8:00 p.m. in Montesano. The Comets opponent would be the winner of an earlier game, possibly played between South Bend and Mossyrock, depending on the final places in the Pacific and Central Leagues. A loss to NWC could put the Comets into a tie, possibly a three-way tie, for the league championship and the seeding in the district tournament. A loss in their final game will also bring all sorts of issues such as tie-breakers and a schedule to complete those activities.

Naselle 18 14 18 18 - 68
Tacoma Baptist 11 12 13 19 - 55

Naselle (68) - Austin Burkhalter 21, Nathan Sultemeier 20, Conor Smith 10, K. Burkhalter 6, See 5, Erickson 4, N. Hines 2, J. Hines, Macy, Mendoza;

FG - 22-of-35 (63%),
FT - 20-of-31 (65%);
Rebounds: Smith 14;
Assists: Smith 5

Tacoma Baptist (55) - Barclay Tuell 22, Isaiah Hamlin 16, Adam Mears 10, Piwonski 4, Gillman 2, Aaron Mears 1, Yohann, Sims, Finley, Nrayan

Pacific League Boys (Top 6 teams qualify for tournament)Team League

Overall Games W L W L
Behind1. Naselle 11 2 13 6 --2.
Tacoma Baptist 10 3 15 4 13.
NW Christian 9 3 13 4 1.54.
North Beach 7 5 12 6 34.
South Bend 7 5 10 8 36.
Ocosta 4 8 9 9 6.5
Raymond 1 11 4 14 9
Willapa Valley 0 12 3 15 10