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Bush Leads Timberline in 4th, Punches Ticket to Regionals

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Bush Leads Timberline in 4th to Punch Ticket to Regionals
By Steve Dion

Wednesday- February 17th 2016 Boys 4A West Central District 3
Stadium High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Olympia 17 11 14 14 56
Timberline 15 11 22 18 66


Timberline Blazers

In the second of two consolation match-ups in the West Central District 3 tourney at Stadium HS on Wednesday night, Timberline and Olympia squared off for the third time this season. Olympia won the first two, but Timberline was able to capture round three which earns the Blazers a berth in the regional round next week.

Oly held a narrow two-point lead at the break with Hunter Sipe finding a rhythm recording 10 of his team-high 15. The size advantage for Timberline was evident early as Jaelen Bush finished at the rim with regularity. Like the first two match-ups in the regular season, Olympia coach John Kiley stated, “This was a classic Olympia/Timberline battle and little things made the difference in the end.”

The Blazers started to take control of the game late in the third quarter when Erik Stevenson fired his team up with emphatic blocks on the defensive end and a three at the horn before the final frame. Needing a late surge, Liam Murphy knocked down a three with a foul for a four point play. However, Jarryn Bush scored tough buckets down the stretch as part of his game-high 21 to pull away and secure a Timberline win. When asked about moving on to regionals again, Bush said, “It feels just as sweet this year now that it’s my senior year.” He added, “All respect goes out to Olympia High School. That is probably the best defense I’ve personally seen.” Bears Coach Kiley talked about his team’s memorable season stating, “From May 31st when I took over the program, the kids bought in completely and I can never thank the seniors enough.” When asked about what he told his team in the locker room, Kiley responded, “I told them two things. I told them that I am extremely proud of them. And I told them that I loved them.”

With the win, Timberline will play Kentridge on Saturday at Mt. Tahoma High School at noon to determine the fifth and sixth seeds from West Central District three. From there, the Blazers play in a must-win game that would advance them to the Tacoma Dome.

The Final Score
Timberline 66, Olympia 56.

Top Performers:

Timberline
Jarryn Bush- 21 points

Olympia
Hunter Sipe- 15 points

Audio Recap: Metro League Championship – Bishop Blanchet vs. West Seattle

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Game Recap
Metro League Championship – Bishop Blanchet vs. West Seattle 2-12-16


Metro League Champions – Bishop Blanchet Braves

Bishop Blanchet and West Seattle squared off for the Metro League title game on Friday night. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the match-up including post-game comments from Braves senior Lilly DiPietro!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

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Garfield Claims Metro League Title; Edges Beach by Three

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Garfield Claims Metro League Title; Edges Beach by Three
By Steve Dion

Friday- February 12th 2016 Boys 3A Metro League Championship
Ingraham High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 16 13 20 14 63
Garfield 20 14 17 14 65


Metro League Champions – Garfield Bulldogs

Round two of what could be a four game series between Garfield and Rainier Beach took place Friday night for the Metro League championship. Rainier Beach prevailed in the regular season matchup 76-69 at Crawford Court. The defending state champs Garfield were focused on avenging the loss, but the Vikings were eager to win the league title again. Before the game when asked about the key to the game, Rainier Beach head coach Mike Bethea stated, “The one thing I want to see is coming out and playing hard and cutting out the mental mistakes early.”

The Bulldogs took the lead early in the contest as junior guard Daejon Davis was able to finish some acrobatic shots near the cup scoring 9 of his 19 total shots in the first quarter alone. Sam Cunliffe countered by recording 8 of his team-high 23 in the frame taking advantage of some Bulldog defensive breakdowns. As the first half wore on, Garfield’s Jaylen Nowell took control of the contest by scoring at will which propelled his team to a 34-29 lead at the break.

Rainier Beach emerged from the locker room recharged by opening the second half on a 14-4 run to grab the lead and prompting a Bulldog timeout to talk things over. The height of excitement occurred midway through the frame as a wild series of dunks, blocks, and steals lined up back to back. Daejon Davis knocked down a mid-range jumper at the third quarter buzzer to give his team a 51-49 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Bulldogs held a marginal lead into the final minutes of the contest until Keith Smith buried a clutch three late to tie the ballgame at 61 apiece. Garfield struck back to gain the lead for the final time and a Terrell Brown steal put a bow on it. The Bulldogs tie the season series 1-1 and hoist the hardware. Coach Bethea said the rivalry between these teams, “Is basically like going back in time, like a throwback to how it used to be. And that is when basketball is at its best.” The anticipation for the next round is building.

The Final Score
Garfield 65, Rainier Beach 63.

Top Performers:

Garfield
Jaylen Nowell- 25 points

Rainier Beach
Sam Cunliffe- 23 points

Varsity Hoops Live – Aaron Beach – Centers

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Varsity Hoops Live Center Breakdown- Aaron Beach

Listen to Aaron Beach’s position breakdown by clicking on play button below

Position Breakdown 2/5: Aaron Beach from Dawgman.com
2-5-16

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Head Coach Interview: John Kiley (Olympia)

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Olympia – Head Coach
John Kiley

Steve Dion had a chance to catch up with head coach of the Olympia Bears John Kiley following a first round win in the 4A West Central District Tournament. He talks about the pivotal third quarter which helped Oly secure a 70-50 victory.

Coach Kiley also previews Friday’s match-up against Kentwood which with a win secures a berth to regionals. Finally, he discusses the energy and excitement around campus his team has created in a season which turned a non-playoff team last year to one of the top teams in 4A!

To catch the complete interview with Coach Kiley, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Audio Recap: Puyallup vs. South Kitsap

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Game Recap
Puyallup vs. South Kitsap 2-10-16

In a first round West Central District 3 contest, the Wolves of South Kitsap High School ventured over the Narrows to take on the Puyallup Vikings. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

West Central District 3: First Round Recap

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West Central District 3: First Round Recap by Nic Beckman

West Central District 3 playoffs got underway with eight home games for the top seeds as 16 teams from the SPSL and Narrows leagues vie for the 6 WCD3 state tournament seeds. Home court advantage was evident as 7 of the 8 host teams came away with wins.

The top two seeds in the SPSL continued their dominance. #1 seed Federal Way had the Tornados of Yelm blow into the Eagles nest. After a close first quarter 17-12, coach Jerome Collins’s Eagle team pulled away. Behind the 19 points of Ferron Flavors and a 29-10 third quarter, Federal Way still undefeated with a comfortable win moves on. The Final Score FW 78 Yelm 41.

The #2 seed Curtis Vikings, undefeated in league play until a 63-61 loss to Federal Way at the ShoWare in the SPSL tournament championship defended their home court. Coming off a 66-63 win over Kentwood, the Vikings faced another SPSL Northeast foe in Kentlake. Aushanti Potts-Woods with 27 and Glenn Jordan with 19 combined for more than the Falcons could total as a team. The Final Score Curtis 83 Kentlake 45.

Narrows #1 seed Bellarmine matched up with SPSL South Spanaway Lake. The Lions 18-3 on the season with an unblemished 12-0 league record under the direction of head coach Bernie Salazar represented for their league with a home court opening round win over the Sentinels. The Final Score Bellarmine 75 Spanaway Lake 65.

The #2 seed out of the Narrows coach John Kiley’s Olympia Bears at 18-3 on the season and 10-2 in league play, had the Todd Beamer Titans in the house for first round action. The Bears continue on their quest to the Dome getting a 20 point win over Beamer. The Final Score Olympia 70 Todd Beamer 50.

Emerald Ridge travelled north to Kentwood to face the Conquerors. Jason Cassens and the Jags were up 12-11 after the first quarter, but coach Blake Solomon’s Conk’s were ready for the challenge. Kentwood with four players in double digits would be led by Darius Lubom with 20 and Rayvaughn Bolton with 12 as Cassens with 10, was the only Jaguar to reach double digits. The Final Score Kentwood 58 Emerald Ridge 41.

Coach John Callaghan’s Wolves of South Kitsap crossed the bridge to come play the Vikings in Puyallup. Daniel Tomkiewicz with 9 second quarter points to lead all scorers at half with 11, saw his team down 34-30. The Viks were paced by Jaden Vollmen and Tony Gutierrez each with 9. Tomkiewicz would add 8 3rd quarter points and tie the game at 42. SK down 1, 44-45 heading into the final period. Coach Scott Campbell turned up the Viking pressure and held the Wolves without a point in the quarter until 3:24 remaining. By that time Puyallup was up 54-45, Tony Gutierrez in his first game back from a quadriceps injury hit 6 of the Puyallup 13 3’s enroute to game high honors with 23. South Kitsap’s Daniel Tomkiewicz finished with 22 and Eric Wattree added 16. The Final Score Puyallup 59 South Kitsap 55.

Kent Meridian facing rival Kentridge was able to overcome an 11 point halftime deficit to tie it at 57 at the end of regulation. But Mahlik Hall with 23 and Romaine Jackson with 18 for the Royals were not enough to get their team over the hill. The Chargers held home court with a 12 -7 overtime period, Joran Ticeson led the Chargers with 19. The Final Score in OT Kentridge 69 Kent Meridian 64.

The Blazers of Timberline after finishing third behind Bellarmine and Olympia in Narrows league play, had to go to Thomas Jefferson for their first round match-up. The Raiders of the SPSL Northwest behind leading scorer Darius Anderson were unable to defend their home court. Timberline gets the only visitor win on the night. The Final Score Timberline 52 Thomas Jefferson 48.

Friday night will see winners bracket match ups Federal Way vs Timberline at 6pm, followed by Olympia vs Kentwood at 7:45pm at Auburn Mountainview HS. Bellarmine vs Kentwood at 6pm and Puyallup will face Curtis for the third time this season at 7:45pm at Mt. Tahoma HS. Winners will move on for #1 through #4 seeds.

On the loser out side of the the bracket, Yelm vs Jefferson at 6pm, then Beamer vs Emerald Ridge at 7:45pm will be played at Stadium HS. Spanaway Lake vs Kent Meridian 6pm and South Kitsap vs Kentlake at 7:45pm are playing at Auburn HS. The winners all working for the final 2 seeds from the West Central District 3 heading into the state regional round the final week of February.

Puyallup Secures 2nd Place in SPSL-South Over Jags

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Puyallup Runs Past Rams on Rivalry Night
By Nic Beckman

Tuesday- February 2nd 2016 Boys 4A SPSL-South
Spanaway Lake High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Emerald Ridge 10 12 11 11 44
Puyallup 10 10 16 20 56

Emerald Ridge and Puyallup played at Spanaway Lake on Tuesday night to determine the number 2 and 3 seeds for the SPSL South. One week ago these two teams played to a one point, 55-54 overtime win for the Jaguars at PHS. Puyallup still without second leading scorer Tony Gutierrez suffering from a quadriceps contusion, has had to adjust their play down the stretch. The lingering injury and treatment has kept the senior off the court for nearly a month to end the regular season. Gutierrez hopes to be back for playoff action on Thursday night. The Vikings have relied on a number of other players to step up to fill the void. Emerald Ridge coach Pat Mullen and Viking coach Scott Campbell had their teams ready to play and the first quarter was indicative of these teams familiarity with each other. The Jags Daniel Gregory and Viking Deven Neff each with a pair of 3’s had their teams tied at 10 after the first quarter. The second period had the Jaguars hitting four from beyond the arc two from Donald Bango while Puyallup made 4 of 5 free throws and converted in the paint to keep it close. At the half Emerald Ridge held a 2 point lead 22-20. Vikings Deven Neff would lead all scorers with 8 at the half and Daniel Gregory had 7 for the Jags.

The opening of the second half saw the Vikings start with 3 turnovers and ER’s Chase McGuire with back to back buckets gave the Jags their largest lead at 26-20 with 6:37 left in the quarter. Coach Campbell called time out to settle his team. The Vikings responded as Jaden Vollmen and Brennan Winter with a pair of baskets followed by a Deven Neff 3, put the Viks up 27-26. Andrew Boston put the Jaguars back on top with a bucket inside. Jaden Vollmen with a dime to Brooks Ballmer under the hoop followed it up with two hard drives to the rim and Puyallup was up 33-30. ER had problems from the free throw going 1-5 in the third. Chase McGuire would add another field goal for all 6 of his points on the night, but Puyallup’s leading scorer Deven Neff with a pair of 3’s and strong move in the lane, would get 8 of his game high 17 and the Vikings out scored ER 16-11 in the period to take the lead at 36-33 heading into the fourth.

Fouls mounted for PHS and Emerald Ridge got to the line early in the fourth, where they collected 5 of 9 for half of their quarter total. On the other end, Puyallup gained momentum from sophomore Landen Neff, who converted at the rim twice and Brennan Winter stepped up and knocked down a 3 and the Vikings built a 9 point lead at 45-36. Winter who did a great job rebounding also put in 13 points for his team helping to fill the Gutierrez void. Jaden Vollmen continued to push the pace for the Vikings keeping the pressure on Emerald Ridge. Vollmen would tally 14 for Puyallup. Jags senior Raeshon Scales with a pair of 3’s in the first half tried to keep his team in it with two jumpers just inside the arc, would finish with a team high 10 points. A Tyler Torgerson 3 put the Viks on top 50-39 giving them their largest lead of the night at 2:50 left in regulation. The lead forced the Jags to foul PHS with the clock winding under 2 minutes, but with only 3 fouls in the half cost Emerald Ridge nearly 30 seconds as ER tried to get the Vikings into the bonus. Puyallup would hit 6 of 8 from the line to close out the game. Puyallup’s top 3 scorers would equal the total ER output as Brennan Winter with a season high 13, Jaden Vollmen’s 14, combined with Deven Neff’s 17 would secure the #2 seed from the SPSL South. The Final Score Vikings 56 Jaguars 44.

Emerald Ridge will face the winner of Kent Meridian vs Rogers on Saturday at 6pm as the #3 seed to gain either the 7th or 9th seed from the SPSL heading into West Central District III play. #2 seed Puyallup will see Kentridge at the ShoWare on Thursday, the winner getting the SPSL #4 seed, the loser will play Jefferson on Saturday for either the SPSL #5 or #6 seed.

The Final Score
Puyallup 72, Rogers-Puyallup 57.

Top Performers:
Puyallup
Deven Neff- 17 points
Jaden Vollmen- 14 points
Brennan Winter- 13 points

Emerald Ridge
Raeshon Scales- 10 points
Daniel Gregory- 8 points
Donald Bango- 7 points

Rainier Beach Defends Crawford Court Against Garfield

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Rainier Beach Defends Crawford Court Against Garfield
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- February 2nd 2016 Boys 3A Metro
Rainier Beach High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Garfield 21 20 13 15 69
Rainier Beach 20 16 20 20 76


Rainier Beach combo guard Kevin Porter

In a rematch of last year’s 3A state final, the defending champs Garfield ventured south to Crawford Court to take on Rainier Beach in front of a capacity crowd for a battle of the top teams in Washington.

Kevin Porter gave Rainier Beach an early lift by scoring ten first quarter points as part of his sixteen total including a pair of thunderous dunks. The Bulldogs’ lethal back-court of Jashaun Agosto, Daejon Davis, Terrell Brown, and Jaylen Nowell were faced with the challenge of operating without versatile forward Alphonso Anderson. Garfield received ample contributions from the four guard and carried a 41-36 lead to halftime through high-percentage buckets on dribble penetration.

The Bulldog lead reached eight in the opening minutes of the third frame and was dangerously close to hitting double digits, but Beach fought back. Tijohn Rodde knocked down a pair from downtown Seattle as part of an extended run for the home team which brought the score within two heading into the final quarter.

Sam Cunliffe who led all scorers with 25 continued to attack the rim with ferocity and helped the Vikings grab the lead and start to pull away. Daejon Davis who led GHS with a team-high 21 battled back with acrobatic finishes at the cup to keep the champs within striking distance. Needing a clutch bucket late, Agosto answered with a monster three-pointer to draw the game within a point leaving only 26 seconds to spare. Rainier Beach’s ability to bury free throws in the final possessions allowed them to create separation and secure a seven point victory.

The Final Score
Rainier Beach 76, Garfield 69.

Top Performer:

Rainier Beach
Sam Cunliffe- 25 points

Garfield
Daejon Davis- 21 points

Audio Recap: Kentridge vs. Kent-Meridian

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Game Recap
Kentridge vs. Kent-Meridian 1-28-16


Kentridge Senior Forward Joran Ticeson

A pivotal SPSL-Northeast contest between Kentridge and Kent-Meridian took center stage at the ShoWare Center Thursday night. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the contest including post-game comments by Kentridge senior forward Joran Ticeson!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Audio Recap: West Seattle vs. Bishop Blanchet

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Game Recap
West Seattle vs. Bishop Blanchet 1-27-16


West Seattle Head Coach Darnell Taylor

Wednesday night featured the much anticipated Metro League match-up between undefeated West Seattle and Bishop Blanchet. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the contest including post-game comments from West Seattle head coach Darnell Taylor!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

League Leading Issaquah Spoils Redmond Senior Night

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League Leading Issaquah Spoils Redmond Senior Night
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 29th 2016 Boys 4A KingCo
Redmond High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Redmond 14 15 12 10 51
Issaquah 16 4 24 22 66


Issaquah senior Jason Crandall

The final home game on Redmond’s schedule took place Friday night against league-leading Issaquah. The Mustang seniors were honored prior to the contest adding to the anticipation for the home crowd who understood the playoff implications it carried. The Eagles were carrying a slight edge over Woodinville for the division lead, so Issaquah had plenty to play for in this game as well.

IHS jumped out early to a 16-6 lead in which they simply knocked down shots despite an honest Redmond defensive effort. However, a switch flipped in the contest sparked by senior guard Kevin Carpenter as Redmond put together a 21-2 run which nearly extended to halftime. Redmond senior Sava Trifunovic registered 8 points in the half to help give the ‘Stangs a 29-20 lead heading into the locker room.

Much like the start of the contest, Issaquah started the second half with some fire to quickly erase the deficit. Trevon Ary-Turner and Scott Kellum led the charge as the Eagles duo combined for 29 of their combined 38 points in the final two quarters. Within three minutes of the third quarter, the Redmond lead vanished. The 18-3 Issy run took the wind out the Mustang sails and the gap continued to grow. A 46 point second half proved too much for RHS and the Eagles avoided a pressure-packed ending to the game.

The Final Score
Issaquah 51, Redmond 36.

Top Performer:
Issaquah
Trevon Ary-Turner- 22 points

Kentlake Soars Past Kentwood, Perfect League Record Remains Intact

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Kentlake Soars Past Kentwood, Perfect League Record Remains Intact
By Steve Dion

Thursday- January 28th 2016 Girls 4A SPSL-Northeast
ShoWare Center 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kentwood 5 13 10 8 36
Kentlake 12 10 12 20 54


Kentlake junior Jada Leonard

Eighth ranked Kentlake squared off against Kentwood on Thursday night in an SPSL-Northeast showdown. The Falcons grabbed an early lead in which Sydney Peterson scored her team’s first ten points. The Conks struggled to find its rhythm by netting five points in the first quarter. Eventually, Kentwood clawed back to draw within a single point, but Kentlake used this as motivation to increase the gap once again.

An explosive second half for Kentlake highlighted by another pair of Peterson’s four buckets from downtown and six of Aniston Denckla’s ten in the ballgame allowed Kentlake to create separation that would carry the rest of the game. Zaria Jones led the Conks with 11 in the losing effort. Meanwhile, the Falcons continue to fine-tune for the playoffs which are quickly approaching.

The Final Score
Kentlake 54, Kentwood 36.

Top Performers:
Kentlake
Sydney Peterson- 20 points

Kentwood
Zaria Jones- 11 points

Kentridge’s Ticeson Nets 34 in Shootout with Royals

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Kentridge’s Ticeson Nets 34 in Shootout with Royals
By Steve Dion

Thursday- January 28th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL-Northeast
ShoWare Center 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kent-Meridian 19 12 13 15 59
Kentridge 17 15 7 21 60


Kentridge senior Elijah Ticeson

Kentridge forward Joran Ticeson and Kent-Meridian guard Romaine Jackson matched buckets as the two play-makers recorded 34 and 29 respectively in a Thursday night nail-biter. The SPSL-Northeast opponents with matching 4-3 league record and tied for second place in the division understood the magnitude of this game and there was a playoff intensity present.

The up-tempo style of Kent-Meridian clashed with the deliberate, half-court attack of the Chargers. Joran Ticeson led all scorers with 32 in the ballgame through domination in the block. Romaine Jackson scored 29 points for the Royals including a tough circus shot in addition to drawing a foul in the air. Seconds later, he picked off the inbound and gave the Royals a one point lead on his putback. However, AJ Chappell drew contact on the ensuing possession in which he buried both free throws to put Kentridge back on top. After the game, Ticeson commented on Chappell’s clutch free throws stating, “I believed in him…I had 100% trust in him to make those shots.” The final desperation shots by the Royals rimmed out and the Chargers held on for a gutsy win. This was a big win for the Chargers according to Ticeson who said, “We were feeling kind of down, but this game brought us up…we’re in second place now and that was the tie-breaker.”

The Final Score
Kentridge 60, Kent-Meridian 59.

Top Performers:
Kentridge
Joran Ticeson- 34 points

Kent-Meridian
Romaine Jackson- 29 points

West Seattle Claims Sole Possession of Metro Lead, Tops Braves

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West Seattle Claims Sole Possession of Metro Lead, Tops Braves
By Steve Dion

Wednesday- January 27th 2016 Girls 3A Metro
West Seattle High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bishop Blanchet 6 8 6 10 30
West Seattle 13 11 9 11 44


West Seattle Wildcats

Wednesday night at West Seattle High School was the first sign that playoff hoops is quickly approaching. The host Wildcats and Bishop Blanchet Braves both carried 16-0 records into tonight’s game and this would determine the Metro League regular season champions in all likelihood.

The Wildcats rebounding advantage was evident early as Lexi Ioane pulled down several offensive boards and Lydia Giomi was a force on the defensive end of the glass. After the game, West Seattle head coach Darnell Taylor stated, “I noticed early on they were doubling Giomi…I sat Lexi down and told her it was your time to go at it and take over.” The two recorded 12 and 14 in the contest respectively. Taylor Chambers scored a quick five points for the Braves, but they were unable to get contributions elsewhere and fell behind. The Wildcats were able to avoid an extended defensive lapse throughout the first half and carried a double digit lead to the locker room.

The uphill battle continued early in the second half for Blanchet as the team’s leading scorer this season Jadyn Bush faced foul trouble that forced Coach Burns to sideline the junior wing. A dagger three pointer by Jenna McPhee solidified the Wildcats’ edge in tonight’s game. Blanchet briefly cut the lead to single digits in the waning minutes, but WSHS converted on scoring opportunities before the clock hit triple zeros. When asked about how his team responded to the extra pressure added to this game in terms of league standings, Coach Taylor replied,”I’m really excited the way they handled themselves through the week building up to this big game, they were really focused.” These teams will likely meet again in the near future with increasingly high stakes.

The Final Score
West Seattle 44, Bishop Blanchet 30.

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Lydia Giomi- 14 points
Lexi Ioane- 12 points

Bishop Blanchet
Taylor Chambers- 11 points

Emerald Ridge Escapes Overtime Thriller With Viks

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Emerald Ridge Escapes Overtime Thriller With Viks
By Nic Beckman

Tuesday- January 19th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL
Puyallup High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Puyallup 10 12 12 16 4 54
Emerald Ridge 16 13 11 10 5 55

As the regular season winds down, the games gain significance for teams at the top of their divisions and Tuesday night was one of those nights. Curtis has clinched the SPSL South top spot at 11-0 with one game remaining, but the number 2 through 4 positions are going to be decided between Emerald Ridge, Puyallup and Spanaway Lake. Spanaway Lake was at Rogers and the Jaguars came down from South Hill to take on the Vikings looking to avenge the 48-43 loss PHS gave them at the jungle in the first game of the new year on January 5th.

The Paul B. Hanawalt Pavilion was rocking Tuesday night , it was senior night for the Viks and Emerlad Ridge was in the house. ER coach Pat Mullen had is Jaguars ready to play, the junior dominant team handled the Viking pressure early. The Jags Jason Cassens and Tevin McClain combined for the first 10 ER points and got up 10-4. Cassens would finish with 11 points, McClain with 8. Puyallup, again playing without their second leading scorer, Tony Gutierrez still hobbled by a quadriceps contusion and sophomore starter Jacob Holcomb, looked to find scoring elsewhere. The first quarter would end 16-10. In the second quarter, Viking leading scorer senior Deven Neff got going with a pair of 3’s and a couple of buckets in the lane for 10 of Puyallup’s 12 in the period and the Jags held pace with 13 of their own to head to the locker room up 29-22 at the half. Deven Neff with 11 in the half would lead all scorers and come out in the third quarter to repeat his performance of the second, getting two more 3’s enroute to 10 of the Viks 12 in the first 8 minutes of the second half. Puyallup would cut the lead to one at 33-32 with 3:19 remaining in the third, but Emerald Ridge would keep their poise and push the lead back to 6, leading 40-34 heading into the final period. Puyallup tried to stay within striking range as Jags Daniel Gregory fouled on a jumper hit the and one to put the score at 44-38 with 5:10 on the clock. But the Vikings kept coming, Brooks Balmer with a bucket and the ER lead was 44-40 with 4 minutes left. Balmer would go 4-4 from the line and finish with 8. The Viks would also get help from junior Myles Smith who hit two 3’s coming off the bench, the second at 1:46 to again cut the Jaguar lead to just one at 49-48. Andrew Boston at the line for ER with under a minute hit 1of 2 to set the score at 50-48 with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation. A baseline drive with the clock winding down by senior Tyler Torgerson who went up and under for a reverse off the glass as the buzzer sounded fell in and the crowd went wild. This game was tied at 50 and was headed to overtime.

Sophomore Landen Neff gave Puyallup their first lead at 51-50 at 3:46 of the OT period. Points always a premium became even harder in the overtime as both teams battled for the lead. Daniel Gregory hit a runner in the lane to get the lead back for Emerald Ridge and would finish with a team high 15 points and the Jags looked to have the game in hand as they would get 8 free throws in the extra time but could only convert 3 of them. Leaving the door open for PHS. Puyallup couldn’t find their range from beyond the arc, but we’re able to corral offensive rebounds the most critical by Jaden Vollmen who fell to his back on a play at the rim, but as the ball was tipped around dropped in his hands while he was on the floor and he was able to loft it out to a team mate and Vikings coach Scott Campbell called time out with just 6 ticks remaining on the clock, down 55-54. Before the inbound coach Mullen called another time out to set his defense. On the ensuing inbounds the Vikings were forced to throw the ball into back court to get it in the hands of Jaden Vollmen. With seconds ticking off, Vollmen was able to get into range and launched a high arcing 3 for the game winner, it hit the rim and before Deven Neff could put it back, time expired and the Jaguars had the OT win 55-54. Neff would lead all scorers with 22 points, Vollmen would finish with 11. The win by ER puts them at 8-3 in control of the number 2 spot, for now. The Jags will be facing 11-0 Curtis at home in the jungle on Friday night, while Puyallup 7-4 heads up to a 4-6 Rogers team, who beat Spanaway Lake 61-55 Tuesday night. Putting the Sentinels at 7-5 on the outside looking in and setting up a must win rivalry game for the Vikings against the Rams on Friday. The close of the regular season in the SPSL South still with questions to be answered is going down to the wire.

The Final Score
Emerald Ridge 55, Puyallup 54.

Top Performers:
Emerald Ridge
Daniel Gregory- 15 points
Jason Cassens- 11 points
Tevin McClain- 8 points

Puyallup
Deven Neff- 22 points
Jaden Vollmen- 11 points
Brooks Balmer- 8 points

3A State Basketball Rankings

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3A State Basketball Rankings
By Steve Dion

As league play is in its final weeks and the playoffs are on the horizon, here at the top ten rankings for the 3A classification!

1) Garfield 14-1 (10-0)
Not only the best team in the state, but among the best in the country.


2) Rainier Beach 11-1 (10-0)
While Bethea’s Beach Boys patiently await their anticipated game against Garfield, they continually breeze through their league schedule.


3) Bellevue 14-1 (9-0)
The Wolverines have all the pieces necessary to match up against any team that stands in their way.


4) Peninsula 15-1 (9-1)
If they continue to “Do What We Do”, this team could make a serious run.


5) Lincoln 12-2 (9-0)
The Abes have earned the distinction of Tacoma’s best right now.


6) Wilson 13-3 (9-1)
Tough interstate loss against a strong West Linn squad last week, but still top ten material.


7) Auburn-Mountainview 15-1 (9-1)
Defensive minded Lions have held opponents to 50 or fewer points in 10 of 16 games.


8) Cleveland 13-2 (9-1)
A convincing win over O’Dea on a big stage at the Unity Hoop Showcase showed these rising Eagles are for real.


9) West Seattle 12-4 (8-3)
A polished leader at point guard and a staunch front court is a nice recipe for a well-rounded Wildcats squad.


10) Shadle Park 11-4 (10-3)
The Hilanders are holding their own nicely against a 4A-laden GSL.

On the Bubble
O’Dea
Edmonds-Woodway
Kamiakin
Mercer Island
Seattle Prep

4A State Basketball Rankings

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theFinalScore.TV
4A State Basketball Rankings
By Steve Dion

As league play is in its final weeks and the playoffs are on the horizon, here at the top ten rankings for the 4A classification!

1) Federal Way: 18-0 (7-0)
Defending champs will be perched at the top until somebody knocks them off. Don’t expect this to happen anytime soon.


2) Curtis: 17-1 (10-0)
The Vikings continue their undeafeated mark against Washington state teams.


3) Cascade: 15-0 (9-0)
Gotell’s 51 points in Friday’s didn’t hurt the Bruins’ cause in solidifying themselves high in the rankings.


4) Gonzaga Prep: 14-1 (12-1)
Matty McIntyre’s Bullpups are the Beasts of the East. Many familiar names from the football championship squad.


5) Bellarmine Prep: 13-3 (8-0)
Can’t drop the Lions too far down considering their only in-state losses were to Lincoln and Curtis…by a combined seven points!


6) Union: 12-2 (7-0)
The Titans don’t rebuild, they reload.


7) Issaquah: 13-3 (11-1)
The second Eagles team in the top ten rankings is flying high once again on the Sammamish plateau.


8) Lewis & Clark: 12-3 (11-2)
The Tigers are hot on the heels of the Bullpups for the GSL lead.


9) Central Valley: 12-3 (10-3)
One of the top teams in one of the strongest leagues in 4A earns the Bears top ten honors.


10) Woodinville: 12-3 (9-3)
Tony Miller is a force to be reckoned with. Scored 20 in a win last week, 42 in a loss. Go figure.

On the Bubble
Kentwood
Olympia
Richland
Todd Beamer
Wenatchee

Blanchet Soars Over Eagles in Bruns’ 100th Victory

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Lynnwood Demonstrates Dominance in King Showcase
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 22nd 2016 Girls 3A Metro
Bishop Blanchet High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 6 5 15 7 33
Bishop Blanchet 20 17 19 14 70


Bishop Blanchet senior Molly Dixon

Jadyn Bush and Taylor Chambers led the Braves with 19 and 10 points respectively as Blanchet extends their undefeated 2015-16 campaign with 16 straight wins to start the season. The home team set the tone early with an 11-0 run which featured tough defensive efforts by Jilese Bush and Bella Kemp in the paint. This led to a series of transition buckets that helped build a halftime lead Cleveland could not surmount. Monique Bungay finished in double figures for the Eagles scoring a dozen in the contest.

Coach Greg Bruns was able to utilize the depth on his talented roster and as a result eleven Braves were represented in the scoring column. In his postgame comments, Coach Bruns stated, “We want them all to play hard, we want all to do the same things if you’re a starter or not.” When asked about the strong start and what lies ahead for his team he replied, “We’ve got some tough games coming the next couple weeks, so we want to really focus and get better.” As a result of tonigh’s win, Coach Bruns earned his 100th victory as a Washington high school basketball coach. His response to what this means? “It’s an accomplishment, but it’s about these kids. To start the year 16-0, it’s never happened in my career. Obviously, it’s a testament to what they are and they’ve acclimated to me as a coach.” Bishop Blanchet certainly appears to be on track as a contender in early March with tonight’s convincing victory serving as further evidence of this team’s strength.

The Final Score
Bishop Blanchet 70, Cleveland 33.

Top Performers:
Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush- 19 points

Cleveland
Monique Bungay- 12 points