Electric Finish - By Jake Churchman

    The Bomber fans and players have been looking forward to this matchup all year. The Richland Bombers and the Kamiakin Braves have become a cross-town rivalry that is a must-see matchup. After coming off a tough loss to Chiawana, the girls looked to redeem themselves in their biggest game of the season yet. In almost any sport, the stands are packed with anticipation of a good game. Tonight's game was an away game for the Lady Bombers in Kamiakin's home territory. The stands were filled to capacity in anticipation of a phenomenal girl's and guy's game. The game came down to the wire with an electric, but it was an unfortunate finish for the bombers. Kamiakin defeated the girls 53-50 and now takes charge of 1st place in the MCC. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    The first half was a game from behind for the Bombers, and the main attack for the Bombers came from Macie Milum, who recorded five threes total on the night, shooting 45% from beyond the arc. The Bombers struggled to stop the Braves inside the paint, and that is where Camia Howard for the Braves thrived. Camia was a nightmare in the paint which put the Bombers in foul trouble early, allowing the Braves to head into the bonus early. Although they were headed to the line a lot, the Braves struggled, missing more than 50% of their free throws. The Bombers stayed in the game, closing out the 1st quarter 15-13 Braves. 

    Heading into the 2nd quarter, the Bombers looked to close the gap and begin a solid offensive presence but were having trouble penetrating the Brave's defense. The girls had many shot attempts from beyond the arc and mid-range but could not get many of them to fall. Although the Bombers were still trying to get shots to fall, the Braves went on a 12-2 streak led by forward Camia Howard. The girls were able to answer back as they found their rhythm on offense. As the Bombers were heating up on offense, so was their defense. They played a tight game and were able to close the gap to only down 5. The Braves were leading the bombers 29-24, heading into the locker room. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    Coming out of the half, the Bombers started finding their groove on both sides of the ball. On offense, Senior Kylee Fox began having an offensive presence and dominated the boards. Early in the 3rd quarter Kamiakin Senior Guard and Memphis Commit Nikole Thomas scored her 1,000 points. The soon-to-be Memphis Tiger took a moment with her team and took a photo with the student section, but the Bombers were not phased. The girls closed the gap 39-41, only down two at the end of the 3rd quarter. 

    The 4th quarter was electric in Kamiakins gym. The student sections were packed on both sides, with chants echoing throughout the gym. Neither the Bombers nor the Braves were phased and continued to play a tight game on both sides. The first 7 minutes were back and forth for both sides. With a minute left, the Bombers tied it up with a breakaway layup from Connel Transfer Maggie Smith at 49-49. Both teams were in double bonus free-throws, and Kylee Fox headed to the line with 22 seconds to go down two. She drilled the first one but just missed the 2nd, giving the Braves the ball back on a defensive rebound. The Bombers fouled, sending Nikole Thomas to the line where she drilled both taking a 3-point lead. With 16 seconds left, the Bombers fought to get open, and the Bombers found themselves with a chance to tie the game but just missed the three-pointer ending the game at 53-50 Braves. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    Although the Bombers suffered a tough loss, they still managed to stay tight with the top team in the MCC. The Bombers did not even play their best basketball and were still able to compete. The Bombers struggled on the free throw line shooting only 30%. Coach Westerfield said, "We had a difficult time shooting from the line and struggled with our defensive boards throughout the night, especially towards the end of the game." Both teams had rough nights, having to deal with the wild atmosphere in the gym that night. An unusual sight for the Lady Bombers, but they will look forward to their next game versus Kennewick at home on Friday the 13th. The Braves dealt with the Lions easily, so Richland will look to take control of the game early. The Bombers move to third place in the MCC and are now 5-4 on the season looking to turn it around with this upcoming game. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).