1A Boys State Tournament: Lyncs Shoot Their Way Into Semis

The Lynden Christian Lyncs sprinted past the Seattle Christian Warriors, 84-56, in the quarterfinals of the 1A Boys state tournament, Thursday, in the Yakima SunDome.

The win puts the Lyncs into the semifinals for the sixth consecutive year.

The Lyncs got out to a quick 10-2 lead as the Warriors didn’t net a field goal until the 4:15 mark of the first period.  But once they did, they engineered a run of their own and took a 13-11 lead.  The quarter ended with a 3-point shot from the left corner by Lyncs junior guard, Gunnar Dykstra, who scored nine of the Lyncs 14 first quarter points.

Lyncs junior Kaden Veldman

Junior forward Kaden Veldman took over in the second quarter for the Lyncs.  He hit two 3-point shots and scored 12 points in the first three minutes of the quarter.  The Lyncs, as a team, scored 17 points in less than four minutes.  They led 41-24 at halftime.

The Warriors got within seven points of the Lyncs thanks to 3-point shots by sophomore guard Grant Collier and senior guard, Dakota O’Hare.  But the Dykstra and Veldman led a charge that pushed the lead to 62-36 at the end of the third quarter.

Collier and O’Hare each scored 18 points for the Warriors, who will play Bear Creek in an elimination game, Friday, at 1030am.

The Lyncs shot nearly 50-percent from the field.  They hit just under 48-percent from behind the arc, on 11-23.  Veldman was a perfect 3-3, while Dykstra was 6-9. 

The regulars were lifted early in the fourth quarter.  Dykstra’s 27 points led the Lyncs, with Veldman scoring 21 and pulling down ten rebounds.

The Lyncs, who raised their season record to 24-1, will play the #6 Kings Knights (19-6), in the second 1A semifinal, scheduled for 530pm, Friday.  The Knights defeated Bear Creek in their quarterfinal game. 

Prior to that, #1 Zillah will take on #3 Royal, at 345pm.  The Leopards and the Knights will play for the fourth time.  Zillah has won all three matchups by 20 points, four points in overtime, and by two points in the district championship game. 

~ Ted House

STATS

Seattle Christian: E.Collier 2, Johnson 0, Nelson 2, G.Collier 18, O’Hare 18, Alvis 6, Jones 2, Lombardo 0, Althoff 8, A.Collier 0, Ward 0, Young 0

FG: 21-50, 42%

3P: 7-23, 30.4%

FT: 7-10, 70%

Lynden Christian: Hintz 9, Dykstra 27, Howell 4, Maberry 2, Kamphouse 0, Ridnour 5, VanKooten 0, Robertson 8, Kooiman 3, Veldman 21, Herwerden 5, Voc 0

FG: 32-65, 49.2%

3P: 11-23, 47.8%

FT: 9-15, 60%