By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

The Burns girls varsity basketball team defeated Eastern Oregon League rival Nyssa 47-35 to claim the top spot in the Cascade Christian Classic basketball tournament held Dec. 17-19 in Medford.

After leading by five at the end of the first quarter, the Hilanders outscored the Bulldogs 17-2 in the second quarter to take a commanding lead.

Nyssa made a charge in the second half, but couldn’t close the gap and the Hilanders picked up the win to stay undefeated  this season.

Brea Ribeiro scored 19 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Burns offense. Taylor Lee finished with 10 points and seven rebounds and Jamie Higle had a good all-around game with nine points, six rebounds and five steals. Kaci Nonnenmacher had eight points and Maddye Dinsmore added one.

The Hilanders shot fairly well from the field, making 17 of their 43 attempts (40 percent).

Lee and Higle were both named to the All-Tournament team.

1    2    3    4   Final
Nys     7    2   10   16    35
Bur   12   17   8    10    47

•••

Burns moved into the finals with a 46-36 win over St. Mary’s on Friday, Dec. 18.

St. Mary’s kept pace with Burns for one quarter, but the Hilanders went on an 18-3 run in the second quarter to lead 30-15 at the half.

After a slow third quarter, Burns outscored the Crusaders 13-12 over the final eight minutes to seal the victory.
Lee led the team in scoring, finishing with 17 points to along with her team-high nine rebounds. Higle had 14 points, Ribeiro eight, Chelsea Siegner four, Nonnenmacher and Teri McConnell two apiece.

The Burns defense came up with 18 steals, and the team hit 11 of their 33 field goal attempts (33 percent).
1    2    3    4   Final
StM   12    3    9   12    36
Bur   12   18   3    13   46

•••

Higle scored 17 points as Burns opened the tournament with 51-35 win over the Clatskanie Tigers.

Lee recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds and Ribeiro finished with 12 points. Siegner added four points and Nonnenmacher and Dinsmore each had two.

The Hilanders also had their best shooting game of the tournament, making 21 of their 43 shots (49 percent).

1    2    3    4   Final
Clat     8    8   10   9     35
Bur    14    8   15  14    51

•••

The Phoenix Pirates slipped past Burns 53-49 to earn the third-place trophy at the Cascade Christian Classic basketball tournament held Dec. 17-19 in Medford.

The first half was close throughout with the Hilanders taking a one-point lead into the locker room at the break.
The Pirates came out fast in the third quarter and outscored Burns 24-14 to grab a 45-36 lead.

Burns came back in the fourth period, but Phoenix made their free throws in the final minutes to hold on for the win.
Carraig Colahan scored 17 points to lead the Hilanders’ offense, with Caleb Feist and Dylan Thompson scoring 15 and 12 points, respectively. Zach Dobson added three and Cole Potter two.

1    2    3     4   Final
Pho    11   10  24    8     53
Bur    13    9   14   13    49

•••

Cascade Christian downed Burns 68-46 in the semifinals of the tournament on Friday, Dec. 18.

The No. 2-ranked Challengers started fast, building a 21-8 lead in the opening quarter.

The Hilanders played them even for much of the remainder of the game, but couldn’t make up the deficit.

Feist finished with 12 points to lead the Burns scoring attack and Thompson had 11. Rounding out the scoring were C.

Colahan with six points, Potter and Gus McConnell with four each, Dobson, Casey Heinz and Kieran Colahan two apiece.

1    2    3    4   Final
CC     21   12  21   14     68
Bur     8   10  13   15     46

•••

The Hilanders opened up the tournament with a 61-42 win over Clatskanie.

Burns built a 13-point lead by halftime, and then opened up their biggest lead of the game, 42-21, in the third quarter.
C. Colahan dropped in 16 points, and Thompson finished with 13 to pace the Hilanders in scoring. Feist added nine, Dobson and Heinz five each, Potter and McConnell four apiece and K. Colahan three.

1    2    3     4   Final
Clat     8    5   13   16     42
Bur    13   13  19   16     61

The next action for the Burns varsity teams is the Sisters Tournament Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 28-29, at Sisters High School.