Winning is the best cure-all in sports.
The Dalles Riverhawks have won five of their last six games and are riding a streak of four wins in a row after a 51-50 comeback victory over La Grande in boys basketball action Tuesday at Kurtz Gym.
“It is just hard work and a brotherhood,” TD post Dalles Seufalemua said. “Basketball is the best team sport that there is. The way we work together and the way we have been working together lately is amazing. As we get back into league, it is great, especially with the chemistry we are building. Earlier in the season, our chemistry wasn’t too hot. Everybody was super selfish, but as the season has gone along, our chemistry is building, we have more trust in each other and it helps us out late in our games.”
TD led 15-9 through one period and 31-19 at the half, but over the following 13 minutes and 49 seconds of the second stanza, La Grande went on a 31-15 run to take a 50-46 lead with 2:11 remaining in the game.
Jacob Hernandez then scored the Hawks’ next four points to even the score, two on a layup with 1:54 left, and the last two on a pair of free throws with 27 seconds remaining.
With the score tied at 50-all, Oscar Fernandez stole an inbounds pass and was fouled on his way to the hoop.
The senior guard sank 1 of 2 free throws with 1.5 seconds left and La Grande had its desperation heave fall short.
“Right now, we feel like we can win any game, regardless of what the score is. That’s the feeling we all have,” The Dalles head coach Nathan Morris said. “We are playing much better basketball and that is because we are playing together, sharing the ball and a lot of guys are contributing. It wasn’t our prettiest win. I don’t know why we have to make it so interesting for everybody, but by the end of the game, they still have faith that they can come up with the big play and they did that.”
TD (6-7 overall, 1-0 league) hit on 17 field goals, three 3-pointers, and converted 14 of 21 free throws, 8 of 13 in the second half.
Josh Nisbet put up 11 points, Aidan Telles and Hernandez both added 10 each, Fernandez chipped in nine, Jack Bonham tallied six and Seufalemua had four points.
La Grande (4-9) totaled 17 field goals, seven 3-pointers, and made 9 of 18 from the line, 2 of 6 in the fourth quarter.
Hunter Youngblood and Cristian Mendoza each notched 11 points and the tandem of Zach Wiggins and Kaleb Myer tallied nine points apiece.
With their 2-7 record to start the year now a distant memory, the Riverhawks are geared up for a final stand in a wide-open Intermountain Conference, where TD, Hood River Valley and Redmond stand alone at the top in a three-way deadlock for first place.
There are still nine league games left over a five-week span of the season, but Morris feels like players have embraced their roles and everyone is pulling in the same direction.
“Earlier, there was a stretch where we were not playing very good basketball at all,” Morris said. “We are definitely playing much better now and a lot better team ball. I am pleased with where we are at right now. I have seen a lot of growth over these last five or six games. I think we have a lot more growing to do, but this is when you want to be peaking.”
Following Friday’s home matchup versus Redmond (3-10, 1-0), The Dalles hosts No. 11-ranked Pendleton (9-5, 0-1) at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25.
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