SPOKANE — In its third state championship game appearance in program history, the Lummi Nation Blackhawks topped Almira/Coulee-Hartline, 53-50, in the 1B title on Saturday, March 8 in the Spokane Arena.
It was the team’s first state championship in 10 years.
Lummi junior guard Jerome Toby led the game with 23 points and added five steals in a trademark scrappy Blackhawk defensive performance.
Gallery: Lummi boys win 1B state championship
After the Blackhawks jumped out to a 9-0 run in the first six minutes of regulation, the Warriors ripped off a 10-3 run the rest of the quarter and eventually went up 26-23 heading into halftime.
Both squads went toe-for-toe in offensive streaks and defensive stops. Lummi entered the fourth quarter down 43-40.
With 14 seconds on the clock, a timeout was called and ACH had possession down 51-50. The Blackhawks forced a turnover, junior guard Jerome Toby sank his free throws and Lummi Nation was up for good.
“Right now, it’s just an unbelievable feeling,” Lummi head coach Jerome Toby said after the game. “With 14 seconds left, we said ‘Hey, we’ve been preaching all year we need that one defensive stop’ and my boys stepped up … the love and support from our Lummi Nation — it was wild tonight.”
The Blackhawks will graduate five seniors this year, leaving intact a mostly young core but losing championship game starter senior forward Trevon Lee as well as key rotation players forwards Karson Revey and Tony Abrams.
“My heart was pumping,” Revey said of the game’s final moments. “I put trust in my teammates, we’re all one big family at the end of the day so you got to trust your family.”
Lummi finishes the season 26-3 after dealing ACH its second loss this season.
“I’m excited to see them next year, see them defend us,” said Lee.
Finn Wendt is a CDN visual journalist; reach him at finnwendt@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 122.
