Monthly Archives: February 2018

REWIND- 2017 Metro League Semifinal Match-up
Nathan Hale vs West Seattle

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Hale Survives Scare By West Seattle in Metro Semis
By Colin Caruso

Wednesday- February 8th 2017 Boys 3A Metro Semifinals
Alaska Airlines Arena 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
West Seattle 16 24 9 10 59
Nathan Hale 18 16 17 21 72

Video Highlights

In the historic Hec Edmundson Pavilion and Alaska Airlines Arena, the Metro tournament was back in action for a semifinal matchup between West Seattle High School and the #1 team in the country, the Nathan Hale Raiders. Although suffering two defeats this year at the hands of Nathan Hale, the West Seattle Wildcats were not to going to back down to the juggernaut Raiders.

West Seattle led for the majority of the first half. Despite the large Hec Ed facility, they seemed right at home knocking down 3 after 3. Led by PG Nate Pryor in the first half, they took a 40-34 lead into the locker room at halftime. Despite good shooting by Michael Porter Jr. of Nathan Hale, the constant double teams forced him to pass, exactly what coach Keffrey Fazio of West Seattle wanted. At one point in the second quarter, all five Wildcats on the floor were smothering Michael Porter at the high post.

Nathan Hale received a motivating chat at halftime from coach Brandon Roy and came out on fire to start the third. Seven unanswered points gave them the first lead since early in the second quarter, 41-40. Even this quick burst did not intimidate Pryor and the Wildcats, they continued to battle and trailed by just two, 51-49 entering the fourth quarter.

After exchanging buckets for the first few minutes of the quarter, Michael Porter Jr. took the game into his hands. He followed up a missed free throw put back dunk with two mid-range jumpers and a thunderous dunk to take a 65-55 lead with under three minutes to play. West Seattle had no answer for the acrobatics of the Porters, Jontay and Michael, who scored all Nathan Hale’s points in the first 14 minutes of the second half. Nathan Hale, despite trailing at half, cruised to a 72-59 win.

The Final Score
Nathan Hale 72, West Seattle 59

Top Performers:
Nathan Hale
Michael Porter Jr.- 42 points

West Seattle
Nate Pryor- 26 points

REWIND- 2017 Metro League Semifinal Match-up
Garfield vs Bishop Blanchet- Girls

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Bush Steers Blanchet to Metro Championship
By Steve Dion

Wednesday- February 8th 2017 Girls 3A Metro Semifinals
Alaska Airlines Arena 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Garfield 17 14 11 13 55
Bishop Blanchet 18 12 19 14 63

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Bishop Blanchet Senior Taylor Chambers

The second Metro girls semifinal game at Alaska Airlines Arena featured the undefeated top-ranked Bishop Blanchet Braves and a surging Garfield squad.

It was a neck-and-neck ballgame throughout the first half with both teams’ primary playmakers finding the cup. Blanchet’s rock down low Jadyn Bush recorded 15 of her game-high 29 in the first two quarters. On the other side, Lady Bulldogs guard Juanita Agosto thrived on transition opportunities as she is accustomed to. Leading by a point at the break, could Garfield hand the Braves their first loss of the season?

Bush picked up where she started by cobbling together a tremendous third quarter that propelled them into the late stages of the game. However, Garfield wasn’t finished. Sam Tolliver knocked down some big three pointers to trim the lead, but the clock quickly became the enemy and Blanchet’s lead held to send them to yet another Metro League Championship game on Friday night against West Seattle.

The Final Score
Bishop Blanchet 63, Garfield 55

Top Performers:
Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush- 29 points

Garfield
Juanita Agosto- 14 points

REWIND- 2017 Metro League Semifinal Match-up
Garfield vs Rainier Beach

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Garfield Conquers Rainier Beach, Plays Nathan Hale in Metro Final
By Colin Caruso

Wednesday- February 8th 2017 Boys 3A Metro Semifinals
Alaska Airlines Arena 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 24 18 14 14 70
Garfield 25 16 15 20 76

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Garfield Senior Jaylen Nowell

In the fourth and final game at historic Hec Edmundson Pavilion and Alaska Airlines Arena, the defending state champion Rainier Beach Vikings took on the Garfield Bulldogs for a trip to the Metro finals to face Nathan Hale.  These two programs have produced the last seven state champions for Washington State boys 3A basketball.

Defense was relatively non-existent in the beginning of the game, with 12 total points scored in the first minute of play.  The strenuous pace and back and forth transition play continued throughout the first, with Garfield taking a 25-24 lead into the second quarter.

The transition heavy first quarter changed to a half court set heavy second quarter.  Both coaching staffs knew their teams could not keep the frantic pace for the 32 minutes of play.  Rainier Beach took a slim 42-41 lead into the break.

Beach extended their lead to as many as 8 points in the middle of the third, but the Bulldogs would not go away.  In the waning moments of the third, Garfield converted on a layup, and an immediate steal by Jaylen Noel led to a three point play for the Bulldogs, who trailed by just two.  Kevin Porter traveled on the next Rainier Beach possession and a layup at the buzzer from Daejon Davis of Garfield tied the game at 56 going into the final frame.

Two early mid-range jumpers from J’Raan Brooks put Garfield in front by four early in the fourth, but a Khalil Shabazz Beach three pointer and layup brought Beach back in front.  Noel followed with back-to-back layups for the Bulldogs, pushing the lead to three for Garfield.  Two free throws from the Vikings cut the lead to just one with under two minutes to play.  After Davis went one for two from the line, the Vikings turned the ball over late in the shot clock, handing the ball back to the Bulldogs with one minute remaining.

Eddie Turner of the Bulldogs converted on a runner after a Garfield timeout, and a turnover by Rainier Beach led to another Garfield possession.  After drawing a foul, Davis missed the front end of a one and one, the rebound to Kevin Porter for Beach who was fouled in transition.  He made both free throws to cut the Bulldog lead to two with 30 seconds on the clock.

Rainier Beach was forced to foul, and Eddie Turner made both free throws to put the Bulldogs up four with 17 seconds remaining.  A missed three from Porter and a rebound to the Bulldogs sealed the deal for Garfield, who won 76-70 and will take on #1 in the country Nathan Hale on Friday.

The Final Score
Garfield 76, Rainier Beach 70

Top Performers:
Garfield
Jaylen Nowell- 28 points

Rainier Beach
Kevin Porter Jr.- 23 points

REWIND- 2017 Metro League Semifinal Match-up
West Seattle vs Rainier Beach- Girls

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West Seattle Outlasts Beach, Metro Title Game Bound
By Steve Dion

Wednesday- February 8th 2017 Girls 3A Metro Semifinals
Alaska Airlines Arena 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
West Seattle 11 12 21 7 51
Rainier Beach 8 16 13 8 45

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West Seattle Wildcats

The Metro League semifinals at Alaska Airlines Arena tipped off with the girls #2 vs. #3 seed game between Rainier Beach & West Seattle.

For playing less than 24 hours prior, the young West Seattle squad was ready to compete taking an early lead with Jasmine Gayles & Jenna McPhee leading the charge. Beach countered with a flurry of buckets in the post by talented freshman Dalayah Daniels. The second seeded Lady Viks were able to take a one-point lead to the locker room 24-23.

The Wildcats emerged from the locker room ready to take control of the game with Meghan Fiso scoring six of the Wildcats 21 in the quarter. Grace Sarver continued to tack on to extend the lead as the defense started to clamp down in unison. A late surge by the Vikings wasn’t enough to climb back into the game as West Seattle advances to the championship game.

The Final Score
West Seattle 51, Rainier Beach 45

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Jasmine Gayles- 16 points

Rainier Beach
Karizma Loeffler- 13 points