Whoever forgot to tell the Adna boys basketball team that you’re not supposed to win with your two leading scorers out, and that freshmen aren’t supposed to come in Day 1 and lead the offense apparently also forgot to mention that Wahkiakum is a tough place to play.
The Pirates, who have done nothing but overcome adversity so far this season, just kept winning Tuesday, overcoming a late deficit to stun the host Mules 69-67 in a Central 2B League clash.
“Man, our guys just played their guys out and made huge plays,” Adna coach Luke Salme said.
Freshman Trevin Salme had yet another monster game to begin his varsity career, drilling eight 3-pointers in a 27-point night to lead the Pirates (5-0, 2-0 C2BL). He started the tone in the first quarter, going 3 for 4 from beyond the arc, then slowed down in the second, but came back when it mattered, shooting 4 for 5 in the second half and also drilling three clutch free throws in the fourth quarter.
Lane Johnson did it a bit more consistently to work for his 20 points, finishing 8 for 12 at the line.
Salme and Johnson combined to score 41 of Adna’s 46 points through the first three quarters, but the rest of the Pirates came in to close things out. Jens Neilson scored seven of his nine points in the fourth, including the go-ahead bucket in the final minute. Gavan Muller added all six of his points, Grayson Humphrey had two of his five.
The Pirates trailed by 10 midway through the fourth quarter, before coming all the way back for what’s already their third win by five points or fewer this season.
Adna will get another league test Thursday, when it hosts Rainier.
