Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Tiarah Maualuga in action for the Loggers on Thursday night.

By Ray Hamill — Two teams that have combined to win the last five Dick Niclai Tournaments did not disappoint on Thursday night.

Crosstown rivals Eureka and St. Bernard’s faced off in the first of two tournament semifinals at College of the Redwoods and the two schools served up another epic battle.

The game went right down to the wire, with the Loggers edging the Crusaders 54-53 to set up a Niclai championship game showdown against Big 5 rival Arcata on Friday night.

But it took a late rally, a herculean effort from junior Tiarah Maualuga and a controversial call in the final minute to see them over the finish line.

The Loggers led early and held a six-point advantage after the opening quarter, but the Crusaders would grow into the game and outscored their Big 5 opponents in each of the second and third quarters to hold a five-point advantage heading into the fourth.

However, two big 3-pointers from Bella Hunt and a late basket from Maualuga helped the Loggers close out the stronger of the two teams and avenge last year’s Niclai semifinal loss to the Little 4 school.

“Once again another great game on the North Coast,” said Eureka head coach Cliff Napoleon, whose team also beat St. Bernard’s in overtime in the regular season and was involved in multiple close matchups over the last few weeks. “Never a dull game when Eureka is involved.”

There were several standouts in the win, no one more so than Maualuga.

The junior standout finished with a big double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, to go along with five steals and four blocks.

“It was Tiarah Maualuga all night,” Napoleon added. “What a game from her.”

A controversial call in the final minute, however, marred the occasion.

An inbound pass from St. Bernard’s appeared to inadvertently bounce off the leg of CJ Figas, but the officials called a kick ball and the Loggers got possession.

It was a big call in such a tight game.

That, however, doesn’t take from what was a big-time finish to the game by the Loggers, who scored all four of their 3-pointers for the game in the fourth quarter and outscored the Little 4 champs 14-8 for the period.

In addition to Hunt’s two big late 3s, Nashya Williams and Madelyn Fazio each also hit big-time 3s in the fourth, before Maualuga netted the winning basket with 19 seconds remaining in the game and her team trailing by one.

Williams finished the night with 10 points, while the tenacious Violla Kingsang also made her presence felt and finished with 13 points, four rebounds and a pair of steals.

Carli Baum had a big night for the Crusaders, finishing with a team-high 16 points, including five points in the fourth quarter, each one of them helping to keep her team in the lead.

Figas and Alyssa Boham also made their presence felt with nine points apiece for the defending Niclai champs, while Samantha Sundberg added seven points and Tally Williams chipped in five points.

“(St. Bernard’s head coach) Matt (Tomlin) does a great job preparing his team,” Napoleon said. “Always shifting gears during the game keeping me guessing. I enjoy playing against him. He makes me better.

“That 2/3 zone slowed us a bit.”

With the loss, the Crusaders dropped to 20-7, while the Loggers improved to 18-8 with a seventh straight win.

Friday night’s championship game will take place at Lumberjack Arena and tips off at 6 p.m.

The Loggers have enjoyed plenty of recent success in the Niclai tournament.

Before last year’s semifinal defeat to St. Bernard’s, they had won four straight Niclai tournaments.

The Crusaders will now turn their attention toward the North Coast Section playoffs, which get under way next week. 

The brackets and seeds will be announced on Sunday.