Beach Holds off Lakeside, Wins 3A Metro Title

Beach Holds off Lakeside, Wins 3A Metro Title
By Colin Caruso 

The #2 ranked Rainier Beach Vikings took on the Lakeside Lions for the Metro League Championship on Friday night in a packed house at Garfield High School.  The regular season contest between these two ended in a 14-point win for the Vikings, but with the Metro title at stake and the building electric, everyone knew this would come down to the wire.

Lakeside started the game aggressively, attacking the hoop and drawing contact going through the lane.  Viking starters Fuquan Niles and Shaqquan Aaron both picked up two fouls late in the first quarter and ended up sitting for the remainder of the half.  Lakeside’s smothering defense held the Vikings to just 10 points in the quarter, and the Lions took a 13-10 lead into the second.

Rainier Beach’s shooting woes in the first turned into a shooting clinic in the second.  The Vikings began the quarter on a 14-0 run, forcing five Lion turnovers and capitalizing on baskets in transition.  Senior Marquis Davis led the Vikings with eight points in the quarter, followed closely by teammate Elijah Foster with seven.  Beach took a 37-23 lead into the half.

The tables turned again in the third quarter; it was now Lakeside’s turn to put their foot on the gas, starting the quarter on a 15-5 run.  Niles picked up his fourth foul with 5:20 remaining in the third, and Lion big man Peter French picked up his fourth foul with 4:53 remaining in the period.

Lakeside kept up their offensive rhythm until the game took a turn with 1:03 remaining in the third on a hard foul by Marquis Davis.  Unfortunately, this did not turn out well for the Vikings as Marquis Davis was ejected, Shaqquan Aaron and Coach Mike Bethea both receiving technical fouls.  Lakeside junior Tremaine Isabell also received a technical foul.  The outcome gave four free-throws to the Lions, and Matthew Poplawski stepped up to the line and made all four.  Lakeside outscored Beach in the quarter 21-12, cutting the Viking lead to five entering the fourth.

Lakeside continued to battle in the fourth quarter, exchanging baskets with the Vikings and chipping away at the Beach lead.  Lakeside cut the lead to just three with 32 seconds left, with the ball.  Lion coach Tavio Hobson drew up a play for the Lions, but the inbounds pass was stolen by Rainier Beach and led to a leak-out dribble drive that forced Lakeside to foul from behind.  The foul was ruled a flagrant, giving Beach two free-throws and the ball, ending Lakeside’s chances at the upset.

Beach won in a nail-biter, 69-61.  It was a Great Game to watch!

Leading Scorers:
Lakeside
Tramaine Isabell (18)
Matthew Poplawski (15)

Rainier Beach
Marquis Davis (16)
Djuan Piper (14)