Weiser picks up win over scrappy Homedale 52-48

The Weiser boys basketball team took on the Homedale Trojans on Friday night in a highly contested game that was not decided until the final minute of the fourth period, when the Wolverines finally pulled ahead for the 52-48 win.

 Weiser head coach Brad Adolfson has said many times there are no gimme games in the Snake River Valley Conference, and that was proven once again in the Trojans’ gym.

 “I don’t think we performed our best, but I’m proud of the kids for coming out on top,” he said. 

 It was the last game of the regular season for Weiser before the district tournament starts this week. The win improved Weiser’s conference record to 5-3 and 13-8 overall. Fruitland sits undefeated in conference play at 8-0, followed by Parma at 5-3.

 Weiser and Homedale went back and forth on the lead throughout almost the entire game, with neither team able to dominate at either end of the court.

 “I thought our execution offensively, and our focus offensively, wasn’t real strong tonight,” Adolfson said.  

 Weiser fouled early and sent the Trojans to the free-throw line for their first four points and an early lead.

 Weiser’s Tim Reed, who has come on strong in the second half of the season, scored the Wolverines’ first points when he hit a bucket and was fouled for a 3-point play. 

 After Carson Brown stole the ball for Homedale and made the easy layup, the Trojans were up again over the Wolverines 8-5.

 Caleb Harris tied it up for Weiser at 11-11 with a 3-pointer and 1:43 left in the first quarter. The period ended with a fieldgoal by Weiser’s Hayden Wilson-Palmer for two points and the score was 16-13 with Homedale in the lead.

 The momentum shifted to Homedale after No. 11 Arnolfo Llama hit not one but two 3-pointers to give the Trojans their biggest lead of the game at 22-16 halfway through the second period. Weiser called a timeout to slow down the Trojans and regroup.

 Another basket by Reed got the Wolverines within two points and Weiser tied the score at 22-22 with 2:39 left in the first half. Reed was second in scoring for the Wolverines with 13 points, including 5-for-5 on fieldgoals.

 It wasn’t a big scoring period for either Homedale or Weiser. Each team only put up nine points in the second period. At halftime, Homedale held a slight lead at 25-22.

 The Wolverines came out fired up to start the third period and quickly tied up the game at 25-25. The Trojans put on a full-court press hoping to slow the Wolverines and maybe get a few turnovers.

 Weiser’s Ande Jensen hit the first of his four 3-pointers halfway through the third period to cut Homedale’s lead to two points. An inside pass from Reed to Harris for the easy two points tied the game once again at 32-32.

 Both the Trojans and Wolverines couldn’t hit baskets as the final minutes of the third period ran off the clock. Braden Bumgarner hit a bucket to end the third period once again tied at 35-35.

 Neither team could pull away in the fourth period. Homedale took a two-point lead at 40-38 with three minutes left in the game. Weiser took the lead back when Jensen hit another 3-pointer to put the Wolverines out in front 41-40.

 A basket by Bumgarner with two minutes left put the Wolverines out in front for good. Weiser also grabbed some defensive rebounds and turned those into points. Reed was in the post and picked up an easy two points to give Weiser a five-point lead at 45-40.

 Homedale proved tough to put away down the stretch. Mason Kincheloe was fouled and hit two free throws to pull the Trojans within three points at 45-42. Brown went 1-for-2 on free throws to keep the game close. 

 Homedale’s Daniel Uranga grabbed a clutch rebound and put the ball back in the basket to tie the score at 45-45 and get the hometown fans on their feet.

 Jensen hit another clutch 3-pointer with 50 seconds left to give Weiser a short-lived lead at 48-45.

 Homedale inbounded the ball, getting it in the hands of Llamas who scored a bucket and was fouled. He missed the free throw.

 With 18 seconds left in the game, Weiser’s Brett Spencer passed to Jensen who got the ball to Reed for another clutch basket. Despite a scare when Homedale’s Uranga hit a free-throw to cut Weiser’s lead to 50-48, the clock ran out on the Trojans. They fouled hoping to get the final play, but Reed hit both free throws to win the game for Weiser.

 Ande Jensen led the Wolverines in scoring with 14 points, including four 3-pointers in the second half. Tim Reed hit five baskets and contributed 13 points in the winning effort. Braden Bumgarner scored seven points, followed by Brett Spencer with six points. Caleb Harris and Angel Magana each contributed five points. Hayden Wilson-Palmer scored two points.

 The District III 3A tournament begins on Feb. 12. Weiser is scheduled to play on Saturday, Feb. 16 at TVCC in Ontario, Ore.