BAKER CITY, ORE. – North Douglas had lost its last three match-ups against Skyline League rival Days Creek, but on Saturday, with a state trophy on the line, the Warriors’ boys basketball team came through with a 39-27 victory.
Seniors Riley Swafford and Jayce Ellis combined to score 25 points in the upset victory. Swafford paced North Douglas with 10 of his game-high 13 points in the first half. Ellis added 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Days Creek jumped out to a five-point lead in the first quarter, but the Warriors battled back to lead by eight at halftime.
North Douglas’s lead grew to double figures in the second half and stayed there for much of the third and fourth quarters. The Warriors held their biggest lead at 37-21 after a jumper by sophomore Caleb Parks with 1:45 left to go in the game.
Neither team was on fire offensively. North Douglas shot just 33% from the floor, but the Warriors held Days Creek to just 21% shooting. With both teams struggling to find their shots, the rebound battle played a big role and North Douglas dominated the glass 49-24.
Senior Colton Fuller was the only player to reach double digits for Days Creek. The guard had 10 points and eight rebounds.
North Douglas finished the season with a fourth place trophy and a 23-10 overall record. Days Creek takes home the sixth place trophy and ends the year 24-7.
NORTH DOUGLAS 39, DAYS CREEK 27
NORTH DOUGLAS (23-10)
Riley Swafford 5-18 0-1 13; Jayce Ellis 5-9 1-1 12; Sean Keenan 2-5 2-4 6;
Caleb Parks 2-9 0-0 4; Carson Burris 1-2 0-0 2; Tazz Dill 1-4 0-1 2; Kyle
Bowen 0-1 0-0 0; Brent Taylor 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-48 3-7 39.
DAYS CREEK (24-7)
Colton Fuller 4-16 0-2 10; Caleb Kruzic 2-2 0-0 6; Cole King 2-7 0-1 4;
Kameron Stever 1-8 2-2 4; Jed Hays 1-6 0-0 3; Josh Whetzel 0-1 0-0 0; Logan
Smith 0-2 0-0 0; Jacob Holsclaw 0-2 0-0 0; Blake Ellis 0-3 0-0 0. Totals
10-47 2-5 27.
North Douglas…………….. 6 13 8 12 – 39
Days Creek……………….. 7 4 8 8 – 27
3-point goals–North Douglas 4-15 (Riley Swafford 3-13; Jayce Ellis 1-2),
Days Creek 5-23 (Caleb Kruzic 2-2; Colton Fuller 2-9; Jed Hays 1-2; Josh
Whetzel 0-1; Logan Smith 0-1; Jacob Holsclaw 0-1; Blake Ellis 0-3; Kameron
Stever 0-1; Cole King 0-3). Fouled out–North Douglas-None, Days Creek-None.
Rebounds–North Douglas 49 (Sean Keenan 10), Days Creek 24 (Colton Fuller
8). Assists–North Douglas 8 (Jayce Ellis 5), Days Creek 4 (Colton Fuller
2). Total fouls–North Douglas 9, Days Creek 16. Technical fouls–North
Douglas-None, Days Creek-None.