Photo by Brent Baker — John Stedtfeld tries to get to the hoop against Omak on Jan. 17, but picks up a charging call for hits efforts.

TONASKET – For weeks the third quarter proved to be the Tonasket boys basketball team’s undoing. On Friday, Jan. 20, it was the first quarter.

The Tigers put together a solid effort over the final 24 minutes against visiting Chelan, but after falling into a 13-5 hole to start the game it wasn’t enough as the Goats held on for a 59-46 victory.

“Despite (the slow start), we never game up,” said Tonasket coach Glenn Braman. “We made a few runs the rest of the game, but we had a hard time getting stops against them.”

Tyler James scored 16 points, Matt Robinson added 15 and Aaron Schramm had 13 to lead Chelan (6-9 3-3 Caribou Trail League).

John Stedtfeld led all scorers with 24 points, with Damon Halvorsen adding 11.

“This team is competing and having much closer scores than we have in many years,” Braman said. “We are close; we just need to put a four quarter game together.”

The Tigers (7-9, 0-6) are at Cascade on Saturday, Jan. 28, then finish up with three home games next week.

Omak 64, Tonasket 52

OMAK – Omak may be known for its 3-point shooting prowess, but it’s the inside of play of Joseph LaGrou that makes the Pioneers work.

The Tigers got a big dose of LaGrou on Tuesday, Jan. 17, winning the battle of the trey 12-6 but losing the war 64-52.

“Omak did an outstanding job of putting us in a situation where we had to help on LaGrou or not help,” Braman said. “When we did too much, he kicked it to a shooter who always hit that shot. When we didn’t help enough he was able to get to the basket. We struggled to get stops when we needed them.”

The Tigers got into an early grove, taking a 19-15 lead early in the second quarter on the strength of three Damon Halvorsen 3-pointers.

The Pioneers went on an 18-2 run that included three Country Pakootas treys to take a 12-point lead and went inat the half leading 33-26.

The Tigers could get no closer than six points in the second half despite hitting four triples in the fourth quarter alone.

The last of those, by Stedtfeld, cut the Omak lead to 60-52 with 1:40 to go. But the Tigers failed to convert offensively on two chances to cut further into the lead, and the Pioneers hit 4-of-5 free throws in the final minute to put the game away.

Pakootas led all scorers with 23 points, with Vince Carden adding 15 and LaGrou 14 for Omak (7-9, 1-5), which won for the first time since letting a 26-point lead evaporate at Oroville in December.

Dyllan Gage scored 18, Halvorsen had 17 and Stedtfeld added 15 or the Tigers.