The Huskies lost a play-in game 58-49 in a rematch at Newport Friday evening, ending their season in state playoffs with their entire league, after losing their final league game 62-58 at home on Feb. 19.
Woodburn and Stayton won automatic berths in the first round of state playoffs.
Sisters beat Klamath Union 48-42 in the play-in round to move on to the first round. Cascade lost 68-63 to Valley Catholic in the play-in round. Philomath stayed alive defeating La Grande 59-44 to move on to the first round of playoffs. With their win over Sweet Home Newport moves on to the first round of state playoffs.
Five out of the Oregon West teams will play in the first round.
The Huskies finished the season last in the league with a 2-10 record and a 13-12 record overall, reflecting an 11-2 preseason record and a top-ten preseason ranking that lasted throughout most of the season.
Friday night, Newport won the tipoff but neither team could get anything going quickly. Newport scored a bucket a little more than a minute into the game. Jake Swanson scored the first bucket for the Huskies four minutes into the game, tying it 2-2.
With 1:25 left in the first quarter, the teams were tied 10-10. Matt Beaudy sank a shot to give Newport a 12-10 lead. Sweet Home and Newport traded the back end of two sets of free throws and with three seconds left, Beaudry shot a three from the top of the line to put Newport ahead 16-11 after one quarter.
The Cubs carried the momentum into the next period, building a 23-12 halfway through the quarter.
Casey Tow scored a shot to ignite a Huskies rally. With 3:58 left on the clock, Justin Plechaty scored Newport’s final shot of the half to bring the lead to 25-14.
Hunter Coulter hit the back end of a pair of free throws, Aiden Tyler hit a three and then Tow hit a three to pull within four points, 25-21, with just two minutes left in the half. Kona Baldwin fouled Cade Gaskey, who sank both shots to bring the Huskies within two, 25-23, at halftime.
Newport’s Bryan Tapia and Tyler traded shots to open the third quarter. Plechaty hit a three to build a 30-25 lead over Sweet Home. Newport stretched its lead to 38-29 with a couple of minutes left in the third.
Nate Virtue and Tow each hit shots to get within five, 38-33, at the end of the quarter.
Leading 42-37 two minutes into the fourth, Baldwin hit a three for Newport, and Beaudry scored two free throws to take a 47-37 lead.
Tapia scored a pair of free throws with 30 seconds left to close out Newport scoring and take a 58-47 lead. Tow scored the back end of free throws on a foul by Fred Hidalgo to close out Sweet Home scoring with 13 seconds left.
Coming up in state playoffs, Newport is scheduled to face Banks, Stayton will face McLoughlin, Philomath will play Henley; Woodburn plays against Mazama and Sisters faces Seaside.