County boys hit tough foes in non-league hoop games

Basketball season started rough for Whitman contenders with Tekoa/Oakesdale, Rosalia, Garfield/Palouse and Colton all sustaining defeats.

Colton, which landed a game short of the state finals last year, bowed 60-53 to a visiting Grangeville team Saturday at Colton despite 17 points and 10 boards hauled down by Dalton Patchen.

Grangeville jolted the Wildcats with a 21-8 lead after the first quarter..

The Nighthawks were hammered 77-32 by Asotin’s Panthers in the Friday opener at Oakesdale. Nate Scheibe led the Panthers with 16 and Jacob Swearingen hit 14.

Max Mueller hit 13 to lead the `hawks....