By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

PENDLETON, Ore.—Tristan McMullen wasn’t going to miss the last month of his senior season.  It doesn’t matter the state of that torn meniscus he was playing on, just being apart of this moment, this season and ride he was not going to miss this journey with his Regis teammates.

“I just really wanted to win; these are my people.  It hurts some games, but I just wanted to do whatever I could to win,” McMullen said.  “I just really wanted to play for them.  Play to win.  A goal of mine was to comeback and contribute.

“It feels good that we won.  Not as good as first place, but us as seniors…to go out with two wins, it’s the best way to go for us.  I think the underclassmen, I think they’re set pretty good.”

McMullen had three points, six rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes over the course of the Rams three Pendleton games.  Scoring three points and dishing out two assists in the fourth/sixth-place game Saturday morning against Bonzana

After their heartbreaking defeat to Salem Academy Thursday night at Pendleton High School, Regis didn’t drop another game in route to their fourth-place finish in 2A.

Coming off their big win against Heppner Friday morning at the Pendleton Convention Center, the Rams built up two separate nine-point leads.  One at 25-16 with 5:33 left until halftime and again with 6:47 left in the game at 47-39.

But both times the Antlers mounted a comeback.  Once even overtaking Regis 32-30 in the third quarter before the Rams shut the door on their second rally at six to deny Bonzana at a chance to take fourth place from them.

“Just rebounding and controlling the boards a little bit better.  Our defense, we stopped fouling as much.  First half, they killed us with fouls,” Nick Woods said.

Grant Goesch and Woods each recorded double-doubles in the win.  Goesch of the 10-point, 11 rebound route while Woods had an 15-point, 11-rebound game.  Goesch also led the Rams with three blocks to Woods two.

The Antlers got the game to 54-39 with 39 seconds left in the game before free throws by Isaiah Koehnke and Woods to help seal the win.

Woods, also a senior, was the first to receive the 2A State Fourth-Place trophy.  Yes, it wasn’t first, but for them seniors, this moment means a lot.

“It means a lot.  It’s been four years that I’ve played basketball in High School and I’m just excited to be here.  It means everything.  It’s a dream to get to Pendleton to play,” describes Woods.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald