East Nicolaus’ Earhart; Gridley’s Tull earn spots on NSCIF boys team

David Earhart’s 3-point buzzer-beater against Durham single-handedly earned the East Nicolaus High boys basketball team only its second trip to the Northern Section final in school history.

Earhart filled it up for the Spartans throughout 2019-20, becoming the all-time leading scorer in East Nic in the process.

Earhart can add one more accomplishment to his growing list of achievements: The school’s first over all-northern Section selection as voted on by area media members from the Enterprise-record, Redding Record Searchlight, Shasta County Sports and Marysville AppealDemocrat.

“David is far and away the best scorer we have had since I have been there,” East Nic coach Tyson Earhart said. “It was a good run this year, a second section title appearance in school history, but never won one.”

David Earhart not only was a premier scorer, but a solid rebounder as well, averaging close to 12 a game to go along with his 22.6 points per contest.

Being a football player Tyson didn’t have his oldest son all year because of the deep run that East Nic and former coach Travis Barkermade getting to the Norcal playoffs again.

But David came right in, “picked up the pieces,” and helped guide the boys basketball team to a memorable season, Tyson Earhart said.

David Earhart finished with 1,590 total points to top the list all-time at East Nicolaus.

Joining Earhart on the third team was guard Quentin Thomas (Chico); guard Tim Westlund (Fall River); forward Justin Matthews (Pierce); and forward Aaron Gomez (Pleasant Valley).

David Earhart (00) of East Nicolaus puts up a shot in the first half between two Mount Shasta defenders Anthony Pigoni (left) and DJ Brown (right) in the D5 title game at Butte College’s Cowan Gym.

PV won the section’s D-II title over Foothill behind a host of players, including the team’s only senior, Jake Kremer.

Kremer was joined on the first team

by Gridley Grant Tull; Josiah Palumbo (Foothill); Demarreya Lewis-cooper (Enterprise); and Tanner Stephens (University Prep)

** The Chico Enterprise-record contributed to this report.