STATE BASKETBALL: Neah Bay comeback falls just short, Swan breaks single-season scoring mark

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 5, 2026

SPOKANE — Neah Bay’s second-half comeback attempt fell just shy of the mark, but a piece of program history was made in the Red Devil’s 53-50 loss to Liberty Christian in a Class 1B State Boys Basketball Tournament loser-out contest Friday morning at the Spokane Veterans Arena.

Mathias Greene’s 3-point attempt from the right wing was long in the final 5 seconds as Neah Bay couldn’t make up what grew to a 13-point deficit after halftime against the No. 6-seeded Patriots.

Along the way, the Red Devils’ career all-time leading scorer Tyler Swan set another Neah Bay record, breaking the 39-year old single-season scoring mark of 641 points held by his head coach Stan Claplanhoo. Coincidentally enough, Friday was Claplanhoo’s birthday.

Swan tied Claplanhoo’s mark at the free throw line and broke the mark with a contested jumper in the lane with 1:45 left in the third quarter.

He added some heroics to end the frame with a deep 3-point basket from well beyond NBA range that beat the third quarter buzzer and put the Red Devils down 46-38.

Neah Bay tightened up defensively in the fourth quarter, switching out of the 3-2 zone defense they had played for much of the game and getting the stops they needed to stay alive.

Greene knocked down a huge 3-point basket with 3:30 remaining to move within 51-45, got a big follow basket after a missed shot by Daniel Cumming and moved within 53-50 when Swan grabbed a steal, was fouled on the run out and hit both of his free throws with 48.1 seconds left.

Neah Bay played tough defense in the final minute before fouling to extend the game to set up the team’s final possession — a 3 that went long off the back iron.

Greene finished with 19 points to end with 652 on the season and 1,618 points for his career. He broke the previous mark of 1,456 points held by Robert Moss, father of current Neah Bay girls head coach Cherish Shaw Moss and Red Devils Caylee and Cerise Moss.

The Red Devils struggled to close out on hot-shooting Liberty Christian and its 3-point shooters as the Patriots went 22-of-44 from the field and 7-of-19 from deep.

Ryker Wageman was 9-of-14 with two 3s to lead all scorers with 22 points.

Liberty Christian teammate Trevor Haak sank 5-of-10 triples to reach 15 and big man Nate Grover was 5-of-6 inside for 10 ppoints and eight rebounds.

Neah Bay wrapped the season at 19-8. It was the final contest for Swan, Swan, Azariah Greene, and Cumming.

Liberty Christian 53, Neah Bay 50

NB 9 14 15 12 — 50

LC 12 19 15 7 — 53

Neah Bay: T. Swan 19, M. Greene 12, E. Ray 9, F. Ray 4, R. Greene, Akin,

Liberty Christian: Wageman 22, Haak 15, Grover 10, Kumsi 4, Isley 2.