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Crater boys corral Colts Crater senior Mason Vranes scores two of 21 points Friday against Thurston during Midwestern League action in Central Point. [DENISE BARATTA/FOR THE MAIL TRIBUNE] Saturday Feb 24, 2018 at 2:00 AM Kris Henry Mail Tribune @Kris_Henry CENTRAL POINT — When you’re in the midst of your first winning season in three years like the Crater boys basketball team, there’s no such thing as a meaningless game. No, the Comets didn’t have to win Friday’s regular-season finale against Thurston to secure the program’s first conference title in 28 years. The Midwestern League title was secured one week ago. It’s also unlikely that Crater was in danger of losing its grip on the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Class 5A state playoffs to No. 3 Thurston, the numbers just weren’t close enough to make that happen. But winning is fun and, if the Comets have shown anything this season, they like having fun on the basketball court. In a back-and-forth battle befitting the state power ranking for both programs, Crater used a third-quarter surge to take the lead and held Thurston scoreless over the final minute of the contest for a tense 63-56 triumph in front of a packed house at Crater High. “There was nothing on the line for this game,” said Crater senior Mason Vranes, “but mentally it was a big confidence-booster and it was also kind of a pride thing in our league title. Going into the state playoffs, I think this really helps us and boosts our confidence to hopefully be the favorite.” The win wasn’t enough to vault Crater (23-1, 13-1 MWL) over Silverton for the No. 1 seed but it was a good way to send the Comets off toward their first appearance in the state playoffs in five years. Crater hasn’t won a state playoff game since 2009, when it placed sixth at the 5A state tournament. Crater opens the state playoffs at home next Saturday against an opponent still to be determined. A victory in that game would send them to the state tourney at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. “We talked all week that this is a great situation for us because the pressure’s off of us with already securing the team title but you also get to play a team in Thurston that could go to Gill and win it,” said Comets head coach Chris Schmerbach. “(Thurston’s) a really good team that’s probably playing the best that they’ve been playing all year. I’m glad our seniors were able to go out with a win at home and it kind of gets us motivated when the playoffs start in a week.” Mason Vranes scored 21 points and fellow senior Kiefer Edwards had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Comets, who had to rally from a 30-26 halftime deficit. “I thought Mason carried us in the first half,” said Schmerbach. “We’ve been talking to him his whole career that good players can get to the rim and that’s what he did. I was really proud of the way he played, he was solid tonight. And Kiefer was just Kiefer for us.” Typically a 3-point shooter, Vranes was especially efficient driving to the rim throughout the contest. His nine points came at big times to answer rushes by Thurston (17-6, 9-5) during the first half, then he mixed it up and added key shots beyond the arc in the third and fourth quarters to give the Comets momentum in the back-and-forth affair. “Last time at Thurston all they did was try to stop me from getting the ball and prevent 3-pointers so I just took it at the hole because I’m quick and I can finish,” said the 6-foot-2 senior. “I don’t know why I haven’t been doing that all season, but I think I’m gonna keep it up.” Crater was nursing a 57-54 lead when Thurston’s Isaac Lange stole the ball near midcourt and finished with a dunk on the other end to narrow the gap. On the ensuing trip upcourt, sophomore point guard Jayden Vranes was fouled near the sideline by Ethan Powell, who protested the call and was tagged with a technical foul with 1:06 to go. The younger Vranes, who finished with seven points and seven assists, made one free throw for the foul but Edwards uncharacteristically missed both technical foul shots. The biggest factor was that Crater retained possession, and the Comets worked the ball around the defense until Mason Vranes was ultimately fouled with 39 seconds to go and calmly knocked down both free throws for a 60-56 margin. Lange missed a 3-pointer on the other end and Jayden Vranes went coast to coast to put the game away with a layup. He later added another free throw for the final score. Lange scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half, while Mason Miller added 12 points and 10 rebounds and Sterling Minor ran the court well for 11 points to pace the Colts, whose team finished third in the MWL. “It was a league championship atmosphere and all the credit to Crater and the job that Chris has done with those guys,” said Thurston head coach Blaine Liberatore. “And what an incredible career by Kiefer, he was really, really good tonight.” “They knocked down some shots and got some rebounds and made a bunch of free throws in the fourth quarter,” he added. “Crater left the door open a little bit missing some free throws (9-for-20 overall) but they made some, too, and that ended up being the difference in the game.” Cade Weaver added seven points and Nathan Bittle had five points, five rebounds and four blocks for the Comets. THURSTON (56): Minor 11, Powell 2, Crist 0, Connor 8, Lange 15, Miller 12, Haas 8. Totals: 26-50 3-4 56. CRATER (63): J. Vranes 7, Horton 3, M. Vranes 21, Archer 0, Ki. Edwards 16, Weaver 7, Stollings 4, Bittle 5. Totals: 24-44 9-20 63. Thurston;12;18;16;10;—;56 Crater;14;12;21;16;—;63 3-point goals — Thurston 1-8 (Lange 1), Crater 6-14 (M. Vranes 3, Horton 1, Weaver 1, Bittle 1). Fouled out — Connor. Technical fouls — Powell. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected], www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry