Braves win against Tulalip

After losing last second heartbreakers to Coupeville and Orcas Island, the La Conner Braves flipped the script and won a hard-fought 58-54 non-conference hoops battle with Tulalip Heritage at Landy James Gym Saturday night.

Ivory Damien scored a game-high 23 points and Braden Thomas added 21 to assure a happy ending for the Braves and their fans.

But Tulalip provided plenty of drama before the curtain fell.

The Hawks, trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half. They pulled to within 56-54 in the final half-minute before Thomas clinched matters with a pair of free throws at the 0:09 mark.

The win improved La Conner to 8-9 overall entering last night's home clash with Mount Vernon Christian.

Thomas drained five three-pointers and Damien hit three perimeter treys to offset a Braves inside game stymied with 6'-4" senior Isaiah Price saddled with foul trouble and held to two points in limited duty.

The Hawks rally was spurred by three teammates who combined for 46 of Tulalip's 54 points.

Louis Gallagher hit a 15-foot jumper and scored on a transition layup to narrow the Hawk deficit to 54-51 with 2:10 left.

But La Conner responded when Price, prior to fouling out, deftly dished an assist to Damien for what proved to be the game-winning bucket.

Tulalip answered with a basket and free throw by Tokala Black Tomahawk to narrow the margin to 56-54 with 0:27 remaining. La Conner played keep away until Thomas was fouled and calmly sank the two charity tosses.

Damien was a force throughout. He showed his versatility by knocking down floaters in the lane as well as three-pointers from the corner.

The 5'-10" junior guard popped in back-to-back treys early in the fourth period–one of which magically spun softly off the iron and curled through the net–to give the Braves a 52-43 cushion.

Fueled by Gallagher and Black Tomahawk, Tulalip then reeled off an 8-2 spurt that made things all too interesting down the stretch.

Corran Eisen (5), Brayden Pedroza (5), C.J Edwards (2) and Price (2). provided scoring support.

Eisen delivered a deep trey during the third quarter. Pedroza, coming off a strong outing at Orcas, also had a three-pointer, a long jumper that gave the Braves a 23-13 lead early in the second quarter.

Edwards started and played wearing a headband protecting a stitched gash suffered at the end of the Orcas game when he and a Vikings player collided along the baseline going for a 50-50 ball.

Coach C.J. Woods substituted liberally and employed a half-court motion offense that featured quick passing and off-ball cuts. That resulted in 20 field goals off eight assists.

La Conner finished 10 of 25 (40 per cent) inside the trey arc and 10 of 24 (42 per cent) from three-point range. The Braves converted eight of 10 free throw attempts, with Thomas meshing all four of his foul shots.

The Braves, 3-3 in NW1B/2B action, resume league play at home Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Friday Harbor. 2A Burlington-Edison visits Saturday at 7 p.m.