Bulldogs make districts

ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission boys’ basketball team will play in the district tournament this weekend for the first time in three years.

At 3 p.m. today in Ronan, the Bulldogs face Eureka, a team they beat in December but lost to in February. Senior Jorren Gies is the only player on Mission’s line-up who has played in a tournament.

Mission enters the tournament after three losses last week, two from conference opponents.

Against Arlee last Tuesday, it took over four minutes for the Bulldogs to get on the scoreboard. Mission put up solid defense, allowing only six points from Arlee.

Arlee increased its lead to nine at the half, even though Mission didn’t send them to the line at all.

The Bulldogs closed in on the lead in the fourth, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Mission went 13-of-39 from the field, a stat that impacted the game, head coach Lloyd Phillips said.

“Shooting kept us just out of reach all night,” he said.

Senior Jake Durglo led the way wtih 12 points and eight rebounds, while Gies registered a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds.

“Our best players didn’t play their best and that hurt us,” Phillips said. “Arlee’s quickness hurt us every quarter.”

On Mission’s senior night, all five seniors started. Down 16-6 after the first quarter, the Bulldogs hit seven shots from the field and their only free throw to cut the lead to eight at the half.

In the third, Plain’s all-state post Trent Thompson sat on the bench due to fouls and Mission wasn’t able to take advantage, scoring eight points, Phillips said.

With a little over three minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs came within six points of the lead before Thompson went four-for-four.

“We had a chance at the end,” Phillips said. “For the most part, we played well against a good team and took a step ahead.”

Durglo led with 17 points while senior Gui Silva had seven points, five assists and four steals.

“Jake Durglo had a solid game against one of the best big men in the state,” Phillips said. “Gui Silva played his best game of the year and was our floor leader.”

The Bulldogs came out strong the next night in Thompson Falls, hitting four of their first five shots to gain an 8-0 lead.

“We were running our offense and playing great half-court defense,” Phillips said.

Then things went south.

Durglo picked up his second foul, sophomore Austin McDonald got a bloody nose and freshman Dylan Evans got called for his third foul.

“We had three starters on the bench with well over three minutes left in the first quarter,” Phillips said.

For the remainder of the half, Thompson Falls outshot the Bulldogs 36-2, as Mission didn’t score a point in the second quarter.

Starting over in the second half, Phillips said Mission played Thompson Falls even, scoring 21 points.

Durglo picked up a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

“Durglo was a force in a very physical game,” Phillips said. “He shot 10 free throws, but should have shot 20-plus.”

Gies added 11 points and Evans grabbed four points and eight rebounds.

“Dylan Evans came ready to play, once again, as a freshman versus a physical and mature line-up,” Phillips said. “His future is bright.”