RICHLAND — A last minute venue change happened on Saturday afternoon.
Instead of playing on a basketball court, the Rainier and Tri-Cities Prep boys basketball teams proceeded to tussle in a phone booth. Since that’s what the entirety of their Class 2B Opening Round matchup resembled.
Prior to the fourth quarter, the largest lead by either side was five. It was only a two-possession game one time before that. There was a proverbial lid on both buckets at Richland High School.
“Just couldn’t get shots to fall,” Rainier head coach Ben Sheaffer said. “We were kind of hoping for a game like that. Just that grit and that chip we have.”
The lid was lifted for TCP. It was kept on for Rainier.
Despite a game-high 22 points in the final basketball game of Jacob Meldrum’s prep career, the 13th-seeded Mountaineers had more goose eggs down the stretch than the 12th-seeded Jaguars and the latter walked out with a 48-38 triumph over the former.
The closest Rainier (15-11) got in the final stanza was three points, twice. TCP kept the lead hovering around eight and the Mountaineers never crept within a single possession over the final five-plus minutes.
Whether it was turnovers or coming away empty-handed offensively, Rainier left the locker room with the feeling of letting one get away.
“We weren’t moving well without the ball. We couldn’t go on a run,” Meldrum said.
For a while, it was a defensive showcase between two teams vying for a trip to Spokane.
The Jaguars were stealthy in the backcourt with pick-pocketing Jacob and Josh Meldrum, plus knocking the ball away on post touches. What they showed on film translated to reality and Sheaffer knew it would be a difficult matchup.
Mainly, TCP’s length and aggressiveness caused the Mountaineers fits.
“They’re long and athletic,” Sheaffer said. “I knew we would battle defensively. We had a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers in the first half that were frustrating, for sure. The level of competition and that competitive spirit was there.”
Rainier made life a living nightmare for TCP at the net. Even with Peyton Sheaffer and Hunter Howell giving up some height, they controlled the defensive interior. Even the guards bolted down on fastbreaks and kept points off the board.
The Mountaineers led 9-8 after one. The Jaguars countered with a 21-20 halftime advantage.
Given the circumstances and the magnitude, Meldrum was more than pleased with the effort defensively.
“It was a good moment, too,” he said. “The defense kept us in the game.”
The waning moments of the third quarter changed the complexion of the game.
Meldrum put Rainier up 26-25 with a layup, then TCP’s Clayton Calderon buried a wing trifecta to give the Jaguars a two-point lead. The Mountaineers didn’t get a clean shot off with under three seconds to go.
TCP rolled the ball to Calderon, Josh Meldrum dove for the ball and a 5-on-4 was instantly created. Bryson Wilde drilled the triple just before the buzzer for a 31-26 cushion.
“Felt like a 10-point deficit,” Jacob Meldrum admitted. “It was a momentum shift. (Josh) hustled and put the effort in.”
The game was iced on a James Meldrum intentional foul – and offsetting technicals – that allowed TCP to shoot and make two free throws and maintain possession with under 90 seconds left in regulation.
It resulted in the final game for all three Meldrums plus Howell. Those four were the catalysts in helping Rainier back to the opening round in nearly two decades.
“We’re grateful they’ve left footprints for other guys,” Sheaffer said. “Some of our young guys gotta taste it a little bit and hopefully that motivates them to get in the gym and take that next step.”
Even through the sadness, Jacob Meldrum reflected on the good times. He hopes in trips to come watch them next winter – a roster expected to be anchored by first team all-league forward Peyton Sheaffer – will be in Spokane.
“It was a little up and down, but we got our goal of making it to state,” he said. “I’m happy.”
