LA GRANDE — La Grande put together big second and fourth quarters to beat Pendleton 61-54 on Thursday in the semifinals of the Greater Oregon League district tournament.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Pendleton coach Tim Foster said. “We played well, La Grande just played a little better. Now we wait to see if we qualify for state in one of the at-large berths.”

La Grande (13-9) will play Saturday in the district finals against Baker.

Khimora Scott scored 10 of her 22 points in the first quarter as Pendleton (12-14) took a 22-19 lead.

The Tigers roared back with a 12-3 in the second for a 31-25 lead at the half.

Rylee Jackson scored five points, and Katelyn Boatman had four as the Bucks went on a 17-12 run in the third quarter to pull within 43-42.

The fourth quarter belonged to La Grande, which got five points each from Rowan Evans and Taryn McIlmoil in an 18-point scoring spree to secure the win.

“Khim led us to a big first quarter, which we needed to keep pace with La Grande,” Forster said. “We went cold in the second quarter, but came out with great energy in the third and closed the gap. Rylee and Katelyn hit big shot to fuel our run. In the fourth, McIlmoil and Evans hit big buckets to keep us at bay.”

Jackson added nine points for Pendleton, while Shaylor Fisher had seven and Presley Greenwalt five.

Evans led the Tigers with 26 points, while McIlmoil added 15 and Peyton Daggett had 10.

Boys basketball

LA GRANDE 82, PENDLETON 72 — It was a tale of two halves for the Bucks, who faltered in the second half as the Tigers pulled away for a home win in the semifinals of the Greater Oregon League district tournament.

“We played well offensively and defensively in the first half,” Pendleton coach Ron Murphy said. “Second half, they made a run and we panicked. Garret (Reinhart) had a great offensive game, but got in foul trouble in the second half and that hurt us.”

La Grande (14-10) will play at Baker on Saturday in the district title game. 

“We now have to play a waiting game to see if we are in the playoffs,” Murphy said.

The Tigers took a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Bucks (14-12) poured in 27 points in the second quarter, led by Jalen West with seven, and Dillon Elrod and Reinhart, who each had six, to take a 44-31 lead at the half.

La Grande put together a 23-14 run in the third to pull within 58-54, then put the finishing touches on the game in the fourth.

Landon Hood had 10 points, and Beckett Hutchins had nine in the fourth quarter as the Tigers outscored the Bucks 28-14 to secure the win.

Reinhart led the Bucks with 23 points, while Elrod had 16, Jubal Hoisington 15 and West eight.

Hood and Tyler Abbott each had 18 points for the Tigers, while Hutchins had 17.