Toledo's Talon Rakoz, left, and Brewster's Nate Burgher both go after a ball heading out of bounds during the second half Monday in the SunDome.   JEFF HALLER/Yakima Herald-Republic   View all photos for this story.

By SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Well, we already knew who Brewster’s main man will be next year when the Bears return to Yakima to add to their SunDome tradition. That would be Michael Taylor. He’s the 6-3 forward who, because of an ankle injury, didn’t play on Monday.

Now we know who Toledo’s main man in the post-Artem Wallace era. That would be Chad Amrine. And he, like Wallace, DID play on Monday. Big time.

The 6-foot-8 Wallace turned in the kind of numbers one might expect from a University of Washington-bound senior rated one of the best power forwards on the West Coast — 22 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks — as the Indians
handled the two-time defending Class 1A state champions 54-42.

But the 15-point, seven-assist game by the 6-foot Amrine in the Tourneytown.com Shootout might have done more to legitimize Toledo (12-1) as a
championship contender.

“We didn’t have Artem all summer, so he (Amrine) was pretty much our main guy. He was getting 25 points a game for us,” Toledo coach Scott Merzoian said, noting that Wallace was playing in the top-level AAU tournaments and camps during the summer.

“When we got Artem back in the fall, we’ve been wanting to establish that inside-outside game. And he’s been struggling with his shot a little bit. Now he’s starting to get that shot back. We’ve been waiting for that breakout game from him, and it was good to see that today.”

“What better place to start shooting well?” mused the laconic Amrine, who hit two of his three 3-pointers in the opening quarter.

Amrine also had five assists — all to Wallace — in the first 12 minutes as Wallace was very active, presenting himself to the guards for interior passes and finishing well.

“It makes things easier for us. He works hard,” Amrine said of Wallace, who shot a sizzling 10-for-13 from the field, with all of his shots coming from inside of nine feet. “You have to reward him when he makes himself available like that.”

Brewster coach Tim Taylor said he was disappointed his defenders didn’t do a better job of keeping a hand in Amrine’s face.

“We knew he could shoot,” Taylor said. “But we got to worrying too much about the big guy inside, and that gave him a chance to get his feet set.”

Brewster (10-2) simply didn’t have the bodies to keep up with Toledo. Not only was Michael Taylor and his 20.3-point average missing, the Bears were without three others — including two starters — who will be sidelined until Feb. 10 after violating the school’s athletic code.

With them out, Bear senior guard Hawkins Gebbers ended up trying to do too much, making just six of 21 often hurried shots. He finished with 20 points, while his cousin Clay Gebbers added 13. The other three starters, none of whom had started until the last two weeks, combined for seven points.

“It’s good for these young guys to play in this kind of a game — big floor, and against a big-time player,” Taylor said. “You never want to lose a game, but it’s great experience for them.”