Pullman high school men’s basketball had quite the week, making the state tournament and winning the district title.
On Thursday Feb. 19, the Greyhounds dominated Clarkston 62-33. From the start, they dominated Clarkston, leading by more than 20 points after one quarter. Brandon Brown outscored them himself with 11 points in the first quarter.
PHS took their 20-point lead and never looked back. After losing last year in the state tournament after leading by 20 at halftime, they learned from their mistakes.
“We try to play our principles and keep upping the score. This year we have been trying to play smarter with the ball and keep the ball in our hands. We were up by 20 last year and they came back, but this year we are keeping the momentum with us,” Vaughn Holstad said.
The win against Clarkston clinched the Greyhounds a spot in the state tournament. However, they still wanted to win the district title and go into state with momentum at an all-time high.
On Saturday Feb. 21 , the Greyhounds played West Valley, who they were 1-1 against prior to the game. Both previous games were close, but the Greyhounds came out hot. PHS ended up beating the Eagles 56-39. Pullman led 19-11 after the first quarter and 34-18 at halftime, maintaining control throughout the second half.
Junior point guard Cade Rogers led the Greyhounds in scoring with 18 points, shooting 9-of-13 from the field. Holstad contributed across the board with 15 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Gavin Dealy added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Owen Brannan and Brandon Brown each added four points.
West Valley struggled offensively, with Hewson Spencer leading his team with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. The Greyhounds’ defense forced key turnovers and held West Valley to 39 points on 14-of-48 shooting.
The Greyhounds will face Tumwater at 4 p.m on Feb. 28. Tumwater is 21-2 on the season while PHS is 20-3. Pullman will aim to continue its momentum from the district championship and strong performances from its key players as it enters the state tournament.
