COOS BAY — It would be a concern for most teams if they didn’t make a field goal for the final 13 minutes of a game.
Blanchet’s Ben Baertch (left) and Ryan Scanlan (24) yell after Bartch hit a shot while being fouled against Colton in the fourth place game of the OSAA Class 3A state tournament at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay on Saturday, March 5, 2016.
But after Ben Bartch’s rebound basket with 5:03 left in the third quarter, Blanchet Catholic School’s boys basketball team didn’t need to make a shot from the field.
The Cavaliers built a huge halftime lead and closed out Colton at the free-throw line to win 49-44 Saturday morning in the fourth-place game of the OSAA Class 3A state tournament at Marshfield High School.
Blanchet (24-6) places fourth at the state tournament.
It was the seventh year in a row the program reached the state tournament and sixth time in that span the team earned a trophy.
“It was nice to win,” said senior Nate Cantonwine, who scored 12 points. “There’s only three teams that get to go out with a win. Unfortunately ours wasn’t the win we wanted, but nonetheless we’ll take it.”
The Cavaliers started the game strong.
Blanchet led 11-0 after two free throws by Ryan Scanlan, was up 18-3 after one quarter following a 3-pointer by Nicholas Orlandini and was up 30-13 at halftime following a three-point play by Bartch.
“You always want to start the game on a hot note, and they usually do that, so we wanted to press them, but also get ourselves going,” said Scanlan, who had nine points and nine rebounds.
Colton – Blanchet’s PacWest Conference rival – played much better in the second half.
The Vikings came back and closed the score to 40-38 on a steal and basket by Dustin Jones with 4:19 left.
But Blanchet went 11-for-15 from the line the rest of the way to put the win away.
“I don’t think it was so much complacency as they’ve got some good athletes and good shooters,” Blanchet coach Scott Cantonwine said. “They made good shots. Every team you’re playing here is either a league champion, a co-league champion or a second place team in their league, so none of these teams are used to losing, and that makes it even harder in the state tournament when you get a big lead.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler