Originally Appeared in The Wenatchee World
Photo by Loren Benoit
“The Wenatchee Bighorns professional men’s basketball team was looking to defend its claim on second place (after Great Falls Electric) in the TBL’s (The Basketball League) Pacific Northwest Conference standings while hosting a three-game homestand over Apple Blossom weekend at Wenatchee Valley College (WVC).
Thursday: Seattle Super Hawks
The home stretch began Thursday while hosting their closest rival, the Seattle Super Hawks (8-6), who were either in second or looking to push Wenatchee (11-4) out over the last half of the season.
The last time they met, almost three weeks ago, the Bighorns won by a 5-point margin. After winning their last two matchups, Wenatchee did one better, winning by six for their third consecutive win with a 125-119 result.
With less than 30 seconds remaining, Tavin Cummings stole the ball and dished it to Tyrus Crawford for a dunk, giving Wenatchee a 10-point lead. They held off Seattle’s surge in the final seconds, allowing a couple of buckets from Emeche Wells, but it wasn’t enough to usurp the lead.
The win puts the Bighorns in a deadlock for second with Seattle, but Wenatchee carries a 3-1 win advantage against the Super Hawks this season.
Chris Cromartie led Wenatchee with a double-double of 32 points (52.2% field goals), 13 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Chane Behanan had a double-double of 23 points (61.5% field goals), 13 rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Cummings had 27 points (52.6% field goals), six rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
Friday: Great Falls Electric
The next night, the Bighorns hosted Great Falls Electric (14-1), the PNW Conference-leading team with a four-win advantage over Wenatchee and Seattle, and the only undefeated team in the conference.
The Bighorns lost both previous matchups against Great Falls before their third meeting, but Wenatchee would be the first program to break Great Falls’ unprecedented winning streak after a narrow 118-114 performance.
A steal and a dunk from Cummings, a free throw from Nick Fleming, and a clutch rebound from Cummings in the game’s final moments clinched the win for the Bighorns.
Wenatchee trailed 37-26 after the first quarter but flipped it in the second, leading 68-59 at the half. The lead went back to Great Falls in the third, but they almost lost it as Wenatchee came within a single point after a 3-pointer from Behanan and a dunk from Tyrus Crawford.
Cromartie led the Bighorns again with 34 points (7-for-13 from three), eight rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. Cummings had 27 points (58.8% from the field), five rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and two steals. Behanan had a double-double of 21 points (52.9% from the field), 14 rebounds, and two steals.
Sunday: Willamette Valley Jaguars
After a day off, the Bighorns hosted the Willamette Valley Jaguars (1-11), a team Wenatchee has met on three occasions and won each time. On Sunday, they kept the tradition with a fourth, winning 135-100, advancing past Seattle for second place in the PNW standings.
Cromartie led Wenatchee with 25 points (50% from the field), five steals, three rebounds, and three assists. Kobi Johnson had a double-double of 22 points (53.8% from the field), 11 rebounds, five assists, and a block. Eric Lovett had 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Fleming had 17 points, nine rebounds, four steals, three assists, and two blocks.”