Staff report
Columbia Gorge News
THE DALLES — The Dalles is back in the thick of the Tri-Valley Conference girls basketball championship race after league wins over Gladstone and Madras this past week.
The Dalles is one game behind second-place Madras in the win column with a 9-12 record, 3-2 in the five-team league.
The Riverhawks have three Tri-Valley games remaining, with their nonleague slate completed Feb. 14 on a 65-50 loss at No. 3-ranked Baker. It was another non-league test Feb. 4 which started The Dalles’ three-game win streak. The Dalles bested visiting Pendleton in that tilt and continued to surge with home victories over Gladstone (46-18) on Feb. 9 and Madras (49-46) on Feb. 12.
The Madras win came down to the final seconds when Riverhawk Hailey Johnston rattled home a 3-pointer from the right wing with eight seconds remaining. Madras had a final shot attempt from 30 feet away which wasn’t close.
That was unlike the contest, which featured seven ties and 14 lead changes. Madras, which had beaten The Dalles 53-42 on Jan. 23 in the first game this season between the two teams, held its final lead at 38-37 early in the fourth quarter.
The Riverhawks led 46-43 after Evelyn Rogers scored inside with 50 seconds remaining. Madras set up a play during its ensuing timeout and Alisha Yallup took a pass from the sideline at the top of the key and banked in a 3-pointer to tie the contest. That set up Johnson’s heroics, which wouldn’t have happened had Bryce Newby not stolen a Madras inbounds pass with :08 on the clock. Newby wrestled the ball away under the Riverhawk basket, circle dribbled from the short corner toward the left elbow where she could see Johnston wide open and waiting for her pass.
The final assist was The Dalles’ 12th on the night (on 20 field goals), as seven Riverhawks got into the stat sheet in that category. Johnston finished with a game-high 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Newby added 12 points and a couple of treys.
The Dalles held its biggest lead, 25-20, late in the first half. The advantage would have been more had the Riverhawks made their free throws. The Dalles was 0-for-5 in the period and finished a cool 4-for-15 from the charity stripe for the game.
Johnston also scored 17 points against Gladstone, which never threatened the Riverhawks after falling behind 17-6 in the second period. The Dalles clinched the win by outscoring the Gladiators, 12-0, in the third quarter.
Against Baker, the Riverhawks led 33-29 early in the second half before the Bulldogs used an 11-0 run to take control. The spurt led to a 19-6 advantage in the third quarter. The Dalles would get no closer than 12 points in the final period.
Newby scored 16 points for The Dalles, Rogers had 14, and Johnston 11.
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