Boys basketball / Class 2A state tournament

YAKIMA - Led by three-time tournament MVP Luke Ridnour, fourth-ranked Blaine staged a furious comeback to upend sixth-ranked Wapato 60-56 in overtime and win the Class 2A boys state basketball championship last night.

Ridnour scored 24 points - 18 in the second half - as the Borderites (24-3) rallied from a 10-point deficit with 3:05 remaining in regulation to win their second straight title.

Wapato (21-7), which led most of the contest, seemed to have the game in control with the 10-point lead late in the game. But Blaine erased the lead in a one minute, 43 seconds, tying the contest on Barry Stieb's putback shot with 1:22 to play.

Stieb had five points during that run, and Ridnour added four.

Blaine had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but three Borderite shots, including a putback at the buzzer, wouldn't fall.

The teams traded the lead four times in the overtime period. Blaine took the lead for good when Brad Scheib drove for a layup off a steal at midcourt with 1:40 to play.

Ridnour and Scheib each sank a free throw in the final 38 seconds to increase the margin, and the Borderite defense kept Wapato from getting a viable shot in the closing seconds.

Stieb had 16 points and eight rebounds for Blaine, and Scheib added 10 points. Ridnour hit just six of 19 shots for the game, but sank 11 of 14 free-throw tries. He also had four rebounds, seven assists, one blocked shot and five steals.

Adolf Garza led the Wolves with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Adrian Valdez added 14 points and Rob Wilcox 13 points and three steals.

Wilcox was named to the all-tournament first team along with Tyler Mitchell of Nooksack Valley, Scott Bierlink of Quincy, Nate Ferrier of Elma and Kasey Ulin of Forks.

On the all-tournament second team were David Moulton and Braden Draggoo of Omak, Greg Caldwell of Port Townsend, Phillip Candanoza of Grandview and Preston Vermeulen of Nooksack Valley.

Omak 69, Elma 58 - Braden Draggoo scored 20 points and Kyle Richter and David Moulton each added 16 as unranked Omak (20-8) defeated 10th-ranked Elma (18-9) in a game for third and sixth places. It's the first time in three state appearances at the Class 2A tournament that Omak has earned a trophy.

Omak took advantage of 28 Elma turnovers, converting them into 30 points. The Pioneers also had 19 steals, including 10 by Curtis Hurlbert.

Nate Ferrier, Matt Ferrier and Kyle Basler led Elma with 13 points each, and Basler pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.

Nooksack Valley 59, Port Townsend 43 - Tyler Mitchell recorded game highs of 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead seventh-ranked Nooksack Valley (21-6) to a victory over unranked Port Townsend (18-11) for fifth place.

Mitchell, a senior forward, converted all nine of his field-goal attempts and hit all five of his free throws for Nooksack Valley. Casey Gribble led Port Townsend with 15 points.

Quincy 30, Grandview 29 - A last-ditch field-goal attempt by Grandview's Eloy Armendariz missed its mark, and top-ranked Quincy (25-2) beat the second-ranked Greyhounds (24-3) in a game for fourth and seventh places.

The defensive struggle set tournament records for lowest winning score, set in 1998 when Chewelah beat Castle Rock 43-26. The contest also broke the record for lowest total score, set in that same 1998 contest.

The Jackrabbits scored the final two points on free throws by reserve Elijah Gregg with 55 seconds left. The points were Gregg's only two of the game.

Armendariz' final shot glanced off the rim, and Quincy's David Martin pulled down the rebound as time expired.