2A tournament hopeful Ellensburg rides late 3-pointers to corral Cle Elum on final day of SunDome Shootout

YAKIMA - The 25 miles of Interstate-90 that separate Ellensburg and Cle Elum were erased early Wednesday evening when the two Kittitas County schools were as close as could be on the Yakima Valley SunDome court.

Bulldog senior guards Cade Gibson and Noah Nealey hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final two minutes, and the 2A CWAC conference contenders held off the Warriors, 69-62. in a makeshift matchup at the SunDome Shootout.

The Warriors were a late addition to the Shootout lineup, which was hit hard by winter weather on the west side, as well as health protocols.

Coaches and players, though, welcomed the neighborly matchup.

"We have a good relationship with them," said Bulldogs coach Tony Graham, who is in his sixth year at Ellensburg after guiding the Warriors for four seasons. "It’s fun to play a team like that, that’s a good basketball team."

Added Gibson: "It was pretty cool, especially to play them here and not at home. We played them in fall ball and it got a little chippy there so we were really excited to come get the win here."

Gibson finished with 15 points. while Nealey and Emmett Fenz tied for game-high honors with 20 points. The trio combined for 11 treys.

The Bulldogs erased an early eight-point deficit to take a 33-30 halftime edge - and extended the lead to 10 with just more than five minutes left in the contest before the Warriors mounted a last charge.

An 11-2 run keyed by Gage Ellison’s inside play pulled Cle Elum to within a point at 61-60. Gibson and Nealey, however, doused the Warriors’ comeback with the decisive blows.

Luke Chafin finished with a team-high 19 points for Cle Elum, while Ellison added 13 and Joel Kelly and Jett Favero each added a dozen.

"None of my guys have ever played in a dome so it’s a good experience," Cle Elum coach Eric Terrill said. "One of the reasons we want to play good teams like Ellensburg is to get better. And I think you’re winning or you’re learning and tonight was an opportunity to learn."

The Warriors (6-1), the favorite in the 2B EWAC, face another tough challenge Thursday when they travel to play perennial Class 1A state contender King’s.

Graham expects a few returners to an Ellensburg roster that numbered just nine Wednesday. Sophomore Darius Andaya, a second-team all-conference pick last season, is expected back from injury this week with senior Aiden Lewis to follow shortly after.

Graham also thinks a mid-January return for 6-foot-11 junior Gavin Marrs is possible to bolster the Bulldogs’ push to get back to the SunDome for district and state play.

"The whole point of this is getting in here and playing in this environment so when we do get here it’s not as big of a first-game shock," Graham said. "So hopefully we return here."

The Bulldogs (4-3) are back in action Tuesday with a trip to Selah in a key conference tilt.

(Photo by Jerrel Swenning)