By Michael Carman
Peninsula Daily News
TACOMA — Three Neah Bay players recorded double-doubles and Meric Soeneke scored 23 points on 9 of 14 shooting, including hitting 5 of 10 3-point shots, to lead No. 10 Neah Bay to an 80-58 win over No. 15 Pateros in a Class 1B State Regional round contest Saturday afternoon at Mount Tahoma High School.
Soeneke added nine rebounds and two blocks for the Red Devils to nearly become the fourth Neah Bay player to reach a double-double.
Sean Bitegeko scored 20 points and had 12 rebounds for Neah Bay. The Red Devils shot more than 50 percent on two-point tries (24 of 47) with Bitegeko hitting 7 of 10 attempts.
Keith Johnson Jr. had a big game, posting a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists.
Cameron Moore totaled 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Red Devils led after each quarter, taking a 42-23 lead into halftime.
With the win, Neah Bay (16-7) advances to the Class 1B State Tournament in Spokane. The Red Devils will face the No. 2 Odessa Tigers (22-2) in a loser-out, first round contest at Spokane Arena at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Odessa fell 60-52 to rival Almira/Coulee-Hartline Friday night.
No. 10 Neah Bay 80, No. 15 Pateros 58
Pateros 13 10 17 18— 58
Neah Bay 24 19 23 14— 80
Pateros (58) — Freels 20, Larsen 15, Hall 7, Piechalski 7, Wail 4, Ceniceros 2.
Neah Bay (80) — Soeneke 23, Bitegeko 20, Johnson 16, Moore 14, Brunk 5, Halttunen 2, Shaw, Claplanhoo, Martinez, Engram, Horejsi.
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Compiled from team reports.
