LA GRANDE — On Jan. 19, La Grande senior Kalvin Iohp’s final shot on the Ontario basketball floor missed the mark, handing La Grande a Greater Oregon League loss.

It was not going to occur again.

After building a big lead only to see Ontario fight back in the final quarter and lead the game, Iohp drove through the Tigers’ defense and grabbed the winning basket with only seconds left in the game, giving La Grande a 53-52 4A Greater Oregon League playoff victory on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in La Grande.

“Kalvin has really stepped up his game and helped us play better basketball,” La Grande head coach Shawn Brooks said. “His defensive presence and savvy on the offensive end has been magnificent. Even after missing the game winner in Ontario, he still wanted the ball to end the game and with all the pressure, he made a great full court play to win the game. I am proud of his growth as a player.”

La Grande took an early lead and was up by as many as 18 points early in the third quarter. Ontario then made a run and shocked the La Grande faithful by taking the lead with seven seconds left in the matchup.

“Ontario came out and made it a great game,” Brooks said. “Coach Atilla had them geared up and confident to keep playing hard even when we went on a run in the third quarter. They hit a lot of threes to stay in the game in the fourth and made great plays. I am proud of the boys for pulling this game out. For several of them, it was their first district game.”

La Grande’s Caeden Barrett led all scorers with 25 points.

The victory propels La Grande to a Feb. 15 rematch against Pendleton.

“I sure wish we would have played better basketball but I am happy with the win and that we still have basketball left this season,” Brooks said.

PENDLETON — After some final second heroics and a win over Ontario, La Grande goes on the road to Pendleton on Thursday, Feb. 14.

Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to take on top-seeded Baker.

The Buckaroos have won both meetings between during the regular season. In each, only four points separated the difference between a loss and a victory for the Tigers. Pendleton was a 59-54 winner on Jan. 16 and again took a victory on Feb. 2 by a score of 57-53.

The Bucs host as the second seed in the 4A Greater Oregon League with a 9-13 overall record and a 4-2 4A Greater Oregon League showing. Pendleton is currently 18th in the OSAA rankings. La Grande makes the trip third in the league standings with a 6-17 overall record, including a 1-5 league record. The OSAA currently shows La Grande 28th among the state’s 4A teams.

As the game is a playoff, ticket prices are $4 for students and $6 for adults.

— John Braese, EasternOregonSports.com