Irish leave PacWest Conference in style
Waldport junior T.J. Fisher helped the Irish stay close in a game against Salem Academy that had fans on both sides on their feet in the final minutes. (Photo by Jovita Ballentine)
By Larry Coonrod Of the News-Times
WALDPORT--Led by the sharpshooting of junior T.J. Fisher, the Waldport Irish boys basketball squad (8-15 ) put the Salem Academy Crusaders (8-15 ) on the ropes for much of the season-ending match-up Monday that had cheering fans from both teams on their feet.
With 41 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the teams were locked 60-60. Playing at home, the Irish matched the Crusaders point for point before seeing a several-point lead slip away in the game's closing minutes for a 64-60 loss.
"Great game," said Waldport head coach Mitt Bittick. "I think we should have charged everyone in the crowd double to watch it."
Waldport found itself on the sharp end of several offense foul calls by officials that benched two of the Irish's power players - Tyler Johnson and K.J. Woosley - in the final minutes of the game. The calls elicited boos from the home team crowd and exasperated Irish players and Bittick.
"I know it's not appropriate to blame officials, but I believe they changed the outcome of the game with what would be best described as questionable calls, if not just blatantly bad calls," Bittick said. "These kids worked so hard to get where they are. The two teams should have decided the game, not the officials."
Afterward, Bittick lauded the players on both sides of the court.
"They (Salem Academy) came out and played tremendous ball with aggressive, hard-nosed defense," Bittick said. "They rebounded hard, and our kids matched them every step of the way. It was one of those games where kids on both teams played it the way basketball should be played - hardnosed, aggressive, fought for everything."
T.J. Fisher led the Irish in scoring, notching 23 points and six rebounds. Tyler Johnson put 12 on the board and grabbed five rebounds.
"Tyler showed why he's a second-team, all-league player," Bittick said. "He was just attacking, cutting through, looking to dish the ball out."
Sophomore Caleb Bullock finished the game with 10 points and led the Irish in rebounds with eight.
"Caleb Bullock is going to be a special player," Bittick said. "He proved he could play with guys older and bigger than him. His athleticism really showed."
Senior guard K.J. Woosley put eight points on the board and accounted for five rebounds.
"K .J. Woosley again played his great defense," Bittick said. "He doesn't get a lot of steals, but he causes a lot of them by forcing bad passes."
Bittick praised an outstanding effort by Dalton Brown, who came into the game with a sprained ankle and could barely walk the day before. The coach also said senior Willis Mullen was the sparkplug of the team's run against the Crusaders.
"Every player who came off the bench contributed something to the game," Bittick said. "I'm proud of how these young men have grown. Not just as ballplayers, but young men who understand that hard work and effort is rewarded."
Next year, the Irish drop to 2A. Monday's game marked Waldport's last PacWest 3A conference game and the last game against the rival Crusaders.
"I congratulate our guys on making Salem remember us," Bittick said. "Next year, when we're not there, they're going to be happy."
Contact reporter Larry Coonrod at 541-265-8571 ext. 211 or larry@newportnewstimes.com.
