EPHRATA — Eighteen miles separate Ephrata and Quincy, but on Friday, Dec. 19, sports fans from both towns met at Marty O'Brien Court to continue a basketball rivalry that has endured for decades.

It was the kind of night that O'Brien, who coached at Ephrata for more than 30 years, lived for – a packed gym and a win over the Jackrabbits.

The visitors brought their own crowd and both sides were electric right up to the final buzzer, when Ephrata walked off with a 40-30 victory. It put the Tigers in the win column for first time this season and was their third straight over the Jacks.

"A win is always good for morale and team energy," head coach Rick Walter said, something of an understatement belied by the emotional contest which preceded it.

The Tigers' game plan was simple: slow down Quincy star Pierce Bierlink and control the glass. They executed on both fronts.

Bierlink came in averaging 29 points per game. He finished the night with 11, going just 2-for-10 from the field. A large share of the defensive credit went to senior Brady Hendrick, a former AAU teammate of Bierlink's, who drew the assignment of guarding the Jackrabbits' leading scorer.

"Brady Hendrick did a great job as the primary defender on Pierce, but everyone else was really good at their job when [Bierlink] got the ball or got a screen," Walter said.

How good was Ephrata's defensive effort? The very next night against Othello, Bierlink exploded for 49 points to break Quincy's all-time career scoring record of 1,724 points, set in 1978.

Quincy led 9-6 after the first quarter, but Ephrata eventually took the lead with 1:50 remaining in the half, stayed even in the third period, then outscored the Jackrabbits 12-4 in the fourth quarter to seal it. Quincy shot just 7% from 3-point range, going 2-for-29, and only 29% (8-for-28) from inside the arc.

Junior post Mitchell Morford anchored Ephrata with his second straight double-double performance – 14 rebounds and 12 points including going 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Hendrick added eight points and nine rebounds and Benson Bair grabbed eight boards and blocked a shot.

"Mitch Morford and Benson Bair did a really good job protecting the rim and rebounding," Walter said. "I thought Cooper Black did a great job getting in the lane and making good decisions. Cody Ogle was a spark at big moments."

Ogle finished with six points, Black dished out four assists, and Jett Julian added two points, three rebounds and a steal.

Beyond the rivalry, the evening held deeper meaning. Off the court, fans raised $2,163 for His Helping Hands in memory of Josh Julian, Jett's father, who recently died in a car crash.

"I hope we have some energy left," Walter said, "because it doesn't get any easier tomorrow."

SELAH — Turns out, they didn't.

After the rivalry win over Quincy, the Tigers traveled to Selah on Saturday and were dealt a 64-42 loss by a tough Vikings squad, led by Oliver Pepper's game-high 38 points.

Selah jumped out to an 18-6 first-quarter lead, then added a 23-10 surge in the third period. Ephrata showed fight in the fourth, outscoring the Vikings 17-12.

Morford paced Ephrata with nine points and five rebounds. Benson Bair and Jett Julian each added six points, with Julian hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Jose Barrita chipped in five points, while Levi Wilson had three points and a team-high two steals.

Ephrata (1-6, 1-3 CWAC) returns to action Dec. 27 at home against non-conference Omak.

CWAC Scoreboard —

Thursday, Dec. 19: Grandview 69, Ellensburg 39

Friday, Dec. 20: Ephrata 40, Quincy 30 | Grandview 63, Othello 42 | Selah 67, Toppenish 53 | Ellensburg 71, Prosser 70 | Sunnyside 64, East Valley Yakima 43

Saturday, Dec. 21: Toppenish 61, Deer Park 45 | Selah 64, Ephrata 42 | Quincy 81, Othello 70 | Prosser 88, East Valley Yakima 70