Les Gehrett Albany Democrat-Herald | Posted: Saturday, February 25, 2006 10:00 pm
ADAIR VILLAGE - Warrenton High had no one to guard Santiam Christian's 6-foot-4 junior post player Jeremy Bittner on Saturday night and the Eagles took full advantage.
Santiam Christian pounded the ball inside to Bittner and his 23 points led the Eagles to a comfortable 52-40 victory in a second-round 2A state playoff game.
The win sends the Eagles to Pendleton for the fourth consecutive season.
"We knew they were a little undersized going in," Santiam Christian coach Ron Sisler said. "We worked hard and we stuck to our game plan."
The Eagles jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, but the Warriors hung on with some solid outside shooting. Warrenton hit 3 of 5 3-pointers in the first half and were down only 21-17 at the half.
Santiam Christian took control of the game with a 6-0 run to start the third quarter, building a double-digit lead at 27-17.
The lead stretched to 40-23 early in the fourth quarter after Warrenton was called for a technical foul and Santiam Christian's Josh Warner hit both free throws.
The Warriors tried to get back in the game by fouling the Eagles. Warrenton coach Tim Peitsch said his scouting reports showed Santiam Christian had struggled at the line at times this season.
The strategy did not work Saturday as the Eagles made 24 of 34 free-throw attempts.
"They did a good job shooting free throws," Peitsch said. "We couldn't close the gap. They were just too big inside."
The game was played at a deliberate pace and both teams did a good job taking care of the ball. Warrenton had just six turnovers, four in the first quarter, and Santiam Christian had only three turnovers in the game.
Sisler said he stressed the importance of cutting down on turnovers, which have been a problem for his team. He knew Warrenton was going to pack its defense in tight around Bittner, so there was no reason for his team's perimeter passes to go awry.
Warner finished with 11 points for the Eagles and junior point guard Sean Sullivan added 10.
Warrenton (15-14) was led by junior guard Eric Gantenbein, who scored 11 points.
Santiam Christian (24-2) has placed eighth, second and fourth in the state over the past three seasons and now has another chance to chase a state title.
Santiam Christian 52, Warrenton 40
WARRENTON 10 7 6 17 - 40
S. CHRISTIAN 14 7 15 16 - 52
Warrenton: O'Casey, Mullins 10, Diego 2, Rudduck 7, Gantenbein 12, Little, Lampi 4, Danzl 5, Davis.
Santiam Christian: Sullivan 10, Warner 11, Bittner 23, Mason 1, Chambers 6, Carey, Richardson, John, Hart 1.