[ t o u r n e y t o w n . c o m -- 2005 Class 1A state tournament ]

Granger -- A. Cortez 1-3 0-2 3, Mengarelli 6-9 4-9 17, S. Golob 1-7 0-2 3, E. Castro 4-10 0-0 11, J. Cortez 0-0 0-0 0, Diaz 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-7 0-0 0, Dodd 0-0 0-0 0, B. Golob 0-0 0-0 0, Paul 1-5 2-3 4, M. Castro 0-0 0-0 0, Solis 3. Totals 14-45 6-16 41.

Bellevue Christian -- Olin 0-0 0-0 0, May 0-0 0-0 0, Egly 2-7 2-2 8, Dean 2-3 2-2 6, Kraker 1-2 2-2 4, Downs 9-16 2-2 21, Neal 0-0 0-0 0, Park 0-0 0-0 0, Ulland 0-2 0-0 0, Hendricks 5-8 2-2 12, Gorter 1-7 0-0 2, Haines 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 20-45 10-11 53.

Granger

Bellevue Christian

3-point goals--G 7-15 (E. Castro 3-6, Mengarelli 1-1, A. Cortez 1-2, S. Golob 1-3, Solis 1-3), BC 3-8 (Egly 2-4, Downs 1-2, Dean 0-1, Hendricks 0-1). Rebounds--G 22 (E. Castro 5, Paul 5), BC 35 (Egly 9, Downs 8, Gorter 7). Assists--G 6 (S. Golob 2), BC 12 (Downs 3, Egly 3). Steals--G 3, BC 5 (Egly 2, Downs 2). Blocked shots--G 0, BC 3 (Downs 3). Fouled out --None. Total fouls--G 15, BC 18. Technical fouls--None. Turnovers--G 9, BC 11.

If respect, as Granger High School boys basketball David Gibb says, was what his Spartans were fighting for, then consider them winners.

For the better part of three quarters Wednesday night, his Spartans played with top-ranked Bellevue Christian rather than being played around with by a Vikings team whose 21-2 record makes "lopsided win" redundant.

The scrappy Spartans shot, dove and sweated they’re way to respectability Wednesday night. If not for frigid first-half shooting and the Vikings’ all-state shoo-in Jeffrey Downs, Granger could be celebrating one of the biggest stunners in Class 1A tournament history.

Instead, the SCAC West third seed is left with a 53-41 opening-round loss in the Class 1A state tournament at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

“I’m extremely proud of their effort ... extremely proud,” said Gibb, who will lead the Spartans into a 12:30 p.m. loser-out game Thursday against Oroville.

“We’ve been trying to earn respect all season long and tonight we did that.”

Much of it after a first half that might’ve left others phoning it in after the break. Not scoring until four seconds were left in the first quarter, the Spartans shot 3 of 24 before intermission and trailed 21-9 at the break.

The paltry total put Granger on pace to top its own dubious record of lowest final score in a tournament (22 against Kettle Falls in 2002).

The Vikings built the lead to 16 points nearly midway through the third quarter before Granger junior Edward Castro pulled the Spartans back into the contest with a pair of 3-pointers, the second of those being from about 25 feet that made it 30-21.

“That second half when 20 came out and hit all those threes,” lamented Vikings coach Michael Downs.

Castro finished with 11 points, nine of those coming 3 of 4 3-point shooting in the second half. Teammate Mario Mengarelli also scored 10 of his team-high 17 points after halftime.

Equally up to the challenge, however, was Jeffrey Downs. The sophomore put on his own scoring blitz, knocking down four shots including a trey to give the Vikings a 41-23 lead.

“Good players make good shots and he made 21 points of good shots,” Gibb said of the game’s top scorer.

“He just loves to have the ball in his hands,” said Downs’ coach and dad. “He just has some soft hands around the basket.”

Nate Hendricks added 12 points for the Vikings, who will meet third-ranked Napavine in the quarterfinal round at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Coach Downs expects a better showing today from a Vikings team that won 10 games by 20 or more points.

“We didn’t run a lot of our regular stuff and that restricted us,” he said.