With another 2A SPSL title in hand, No. 7 White River boys can now focus on making extended postseason run

PARKLAND - Two years ago, the White River Hornets had high hopes at the Class 2A state boys basketball championships in Yakima - and promptly lost two games and went home.

They promise to be better-equipped this time around.

It was an emphatic night for seventh-ranked White River, which clinched another 2A SPSL crown with an 89-66 victory Friday night over top challenger Franklin Pierce on the Cardinals' home floor.

Rylan Donovan matched a career high with 36 points - 12 coming in the breakaway third quarter as the Hornets broke out to a double-digit lead and never looked back. Carson Voellger added 21 points, and Dane Goudy chipped in with 16.

"In the second half, the seniors took over," White River boys coach Zach Johnson said.

It was a bittersweet showing for the Cardinals, who saw John John Barbee (team-high 29 points) - coach John Barbee's middle son - set the school's all-time scoring mark, breaking Rod Tripp's 43-year-old record of 1,495 points, set in 1977-79. The senior guard now has 1,510 points ... and counting.

But they were also swept by the Hornets in the season series.

"All 12 of those guys from White River, they come in and compete," John Barbee said. "And there was a four- or five-minute spurt (in the third quarter) where it got away from us."

Donovan very well could have wrapped up league player of the year honors going head to head with John John Barbee, displaying a well-rounded game that continues to evolve.

"I got to 6-foot-4 (last spring) and hit the weight room a bunch," said Donovan, who is now 6-5. "That got me so much better. I am way better ... just getting to the basket, or my vertical - or even on dunks."

After drilling a 3-pointer early in the second half, Donovan really triggered the knockout run with his steal and dunk, extending the Hornets' lead to 48-35 with 5:04 remaining in the third quarter.

Next time down, he pulled up from downtown - and knocked home another 3.

The Hornets have a little bit of everything - size, shooting, experience and moxie - and Goudy is a really heady distributor at point guard.

"We have the stars obviously with Rylan, Dane and Carson," Johnson said. "But the thing that makes us better than the last couple of years is the guys buying into their role. We have guys who will come in for two minutes and play defense or rebound, or a freshman who comes in shoots 3s."