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King’s Tames Tigers With Explosive Third Quarter

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King’s Tames Tigers With Explosive Third Quarter
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- January 26th 2016 Boys 2A/1A Cascade
King's High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Granite Falls 11 11 9 13 44
King's 27 9 23 9 68


King’s junior Josh Frohardt

The Cascade leaders in King’s hosted the Granite Falls Tigers on Tuesday night to push their league record to a perfect 7-0. GFHS is amidst a mid-pack battle in the division and this game against the Knights would serve as a golden opportunity to elevate their position in the standings. It would require a valiant effort considering the size mismatch on the court and in number of available players.

An alley-oop attempt in the opening seconds to King’s Corey Kispert which rimmed out was met with the opening points in the game for the visitors. The Knights countered with a flurry of Kispert triples as the junior sharp-shooter buried five from downtown in the first quarter as part of a game-high 32 points. Granite Falls put the clamps down in the second frame defensively by outscoring the Knights 11 to 9 through contributions of Simon Angel and Brad Hills. At the break, the KHS was cut down to 14 at 36-22.

The opening minutes of the second half determined the fate of the game as a double-digit run cemented King’s path to victory. Cole Mitchell and Kispert rocked the rim with a pair of dunks to highlight the 23 point quarter. The Tigers battled down the stretch and once again outscored King’s in the final frame 13-9. Despite the losing cause, Andy Estes will likely have several positive takeaways from the Tigers effort. Meanwhile, King’s continues to defend their state title with another win in a strong season.

The Final Score
King’s 68, Granite Falls 44.

Top Performers:
King’s
Corey Kispert- 32 points

Granite Falls
Simon Angel- 13 points

3A State Girls Basketball Rankings

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theFinalScore.TV
4A State Girls 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 girls classification!

1) Lynnwood: 15-0 (7-0)
This Royals team is having a season that will be remembered for years to come.


2) Bellevue: 14-0 (9-0)
Winning the Tournament of Champions in Arizona as part of an undefeated record shows the Wolverines are firing on all cylinders.


3) Bishop Blanchet: 16-0 (11-0)
If the Braves stay healthy down the stretch, the sky is the limit.


4) West Seattle: 16-0 (11-0)
Will host what appears to be the Metro League title tomorrow against Blanchet
.


5) Arlington: 15-0 (5-0)
Haven’t faltered every time a tough opponent has tried to compromise the Eagles unblemished record!


6) Auburn-Riverside: 16-0 (10-0)
Rare to call a 16-0 a team a “sleeper”, but this year the Ravens are
.


7) Lincoln: 15-1 (10-0)
The Abes edged rival Wilson by a pair to determine South Sound dominance
.


8) Wilson: 13-3 (9-1)
The Rams have put together one of the toughest schedules, and the three losses were by a combined 9 points.


9) Mercer Island: 12-2 (6-1)
Don’t forget about the Islanders that are in Bellevue’s rearview mirror.


10) Glacier Peak: 12-4 (6-2)
Can run with the best, but are slightly outmatched by powerhouses like Lynnwood
.

On the Bubble
Prairie
Stanwood
Lakeside
Bonney Lake
Roosevelt

4A State Girls Basketball Rankings

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theFinalScore.TV
4A State Girls 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 girls classification!

1) Central Valley: 15-0 (13-0)
The Bears have won all games by double digits with the exception of their meeting with Lewis & Clark; also in the top 10.


2) Moses Lake: 16-0 (8-0)
Leaders of the Big 9 once again which may be the strongest league in the state top to bottom.


3) Bothell: 16-1 (12-1)
Edged Woodinville in a thriller on Friday night to maintain breathing room in the race for the KingCo Crown.


4) Todd Beamer: 15-2 (6-0)
Put the Lynnwood loss behind themselves quickly with two wins in the next four days.


5) Skyview: 12-4 (8-0)
The GSHL will hinge on what the second round with Camas next Tuesday. Storm took round one 51-40!


6) Camas: 15-2 (8-1)
See above.


7) Lewis and Clark: 12-3 (12-1)
Hot on the heels of top ranked Central Valley are the sneaky Tigers.


8) Kentlake: 13-4 (5-0)
A Kent team inevitably finds itself within the top 10. The Falcons have taken the torch as the town representative.


9) Chiawana: 14-2 (9-0)
Have strung together an 11-game win streak after a few bumps in the road in early December.


10) Inglemoor: 12-4 (9-3)
Can still surpass Bothell for a league title with a strong finish and some help from other teams.

On the Bubble
Snohomish
Kentridge
Woodinville
West Valley
Sunnyside

Audio Recap: Bishop Blanchet vs. Cleveland

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Game Recap
Bishop Blanchet vs. Cleveland 1-22-16

The Braves started the season 15-0 and hosted Cleveland on Friday night to extend their undefeated streak. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the match-up including post-game comments by Blanchet coach Greg Bruns!

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

 

Audio Recap: Woodinville vs. Tumwater

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Game Recap
Woodinville vs. Tumwater 1-18-16

Woodinville and Tumwater squared off at the ShoWare Center for a non-league matchup in the King Showcase. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the contest with postgame comments by Woodinville head coach Mark Folson and senior Tony Miller!

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

 

Audio Recap: Puyallup vs. Bethel

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Game Recap
Puyallup vs. Bethel 1-19-16

Tuesday night in the South Puget Sound League offered a defensive battle between the Puyallup Vikings and Bethel Braves. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game!

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

 

Garfield Puts on a Display in Unity Hoop Showcase Main Event

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Garfield Puts on a Display in Unity Hoop Showcase Main Event
By Steve Dion

Monday- January 18th 2016 Boys 3A Metro
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Franklin 12 14 9 7 42
Garfield 30 36 16 12 94


Garfield freshman PJ Fuller

The final game of a solid slate of Metro League hoops in The 3rd Annual Unity Hoop Showcase featured one of the oldest rivalries in the state: Garfield against Franklin. The host Bulldogs have been the dominant team of the two as the back-to-back state champs are once again the top of Washington high school hoops. The Craig Jackson-led Quakers are headed back in the right direction which made Monday a great chance to challenge the most dominant team in the state.

Garfield displayed their team speed early by gaining a 9-2 lead in a flash. Franklin called a timeout to regroup, but the Bulldogs continued their onslaught in which seven scorers combined for 30 points in the first quarter. The lead continued to grow in the second quarter with a few highlight dunks by Jaylen Nowell and Alphonso Anderson sprinkled in who scored 16 and 9 respectively. Keiron Goodwin netted eight tough points in the first half for the Quakers, but the damage was done. GHS led by forty at the break.

A running clock was implemented in the the final two quarters which expedited the contest and in turn slowed the breakneck scoring rate of the home team. Curtis Walker recorded nine off the bench and PJ Fuller also contributed eight of his own. Franklin showed their depth by logging ten players in the scoring column, but it would not be enough to challenge the champs. Garfield fell a half-dozen point short of triple digits despite the rolling game clock in a lopsided, yet entertaining game.

The Final Score
Garfield 94, Franklin 42.

Top Performers:
Garfield
Terrell Brown- 17 points

Franklin
Keiron Goodwin- 8 points

Audio Recap: Olympia vs. Tahoma

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Olympia head coach John Kiley

Game Recap
Olympia vs. Tahoma 1-16-16

Saturday night presented an exciting non-league game between Narrows and SPSL representatives in Olympia and Tahoma. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of an exciting matchup including post-game comments by head coach of the Olympia Bears John Kiley!

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

 

Woodinville Soars Over T-Birds in King Showcase

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Woodinville Soars Over T-Birds in King Showcase
By Steve Dion

Monday- January 18th 2016 Boys 4A/2A KingCo/Evergreen
ShoWare Center 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Tumwater 4 16 8 21 49
Woodinville 14 13 13 17 57


Woodinville senior Micah Johnson

The first boys match-up of the King Showcase was a clash between the Woodinville Falcons and Tumwater Thunderbirds. Woodinville took advantage of a cold start by the T-Birds and picked up a double digit lead after one quarter at 14-4. The Falcons converted on self-induced turnovers by THS due to lack of communication. As the first half wore on, the T-Birds found a rhythm and closed the gap through added emphasis in the paint. Weston VandenHazel pulled in 5 of Tumwater’s 17 offensive boards which translated to buckets. Woodinville carried a 7 point lead into the locker room.

Micah Johnson set the tone in the third quarter by helping limit Tumwater to eight points in the quarter from his stifling defensive effort. After the game, Coach Folsom stated, “He’s our motor. We talk a lot about him setting the tone defensively. When there’s good ball pressure, it makes everybody better.” The pesky guard led WHS with three takeaways.

Leading 47-31 with the game seemingly in the bag for Woodinville, Tumwater made their move. Ty Gentry sparked the biggest run of the game; a 14-3 stretch that brought the game within one possession. Despite the comeback by Tumwater, Coach Folsom said, “I thought our kids held our poise, it was a tough to call, it was a physical game, I thought our kids stayed together and ultimately got it done.” However, lack of execution down the stretch and fouls thwarted the T-Birds effort to push the game to overtime. According to the winning coach, “They were excited for the opportunity to play in this venue…we’re trying to get back to the state tournament and this is in preparation for that.” Leading scorer Tony Miller agreed about the event and venue stating, “It’s a big win. The environment was different because we were playing with no background in a bigger arena. Other than that, there wasn’t much of a difference in how we played.”

The Final Score
Woodinville 57, Tumwater 49.

Top Performers:
Woodinville
Tony Miller- 20 points, 11 rebounds

Tumwater
Ty Gentry- 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists

Gutierrez Nets 25 in Puyallup Victory Against Plainsmen

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Gutierrez Nets 25 in Puyallup Victory Against Plainsmen
By Nic Beckman

Wednesday- January 13th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL/GSHL
Puyallup High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Evergreen-Vancouver 11 18 18 18 65
Puyallup 21 14 20 26 81

The Vikings of Puyallup had a non conference game Wednesday night against the Evergreen Plainsmen. The game rescheduled from the original December 10th date due to flooding in the Vancouver area not allowing the team to make the trek north. The black and green clad Plainsmen, behind the leadership of senior guard Tyrus Hosley made the Vikings work for their points early. The first quarter would end 21-11 as PHS leading scorer Deven Neff got 9.

Evergreen kept up the pressure and hitting 3 three’s two by Payton Monda and 7 of 8 from the line to out score Puyallup 18-14. Going into half the VIKS held a 6 point lead 35-29, Hosley leading the Plainsmen with 10 and Neff for the Vikings with 13, Tony Gutierrez also had 10 at the break.

Evergreen would continue to stay within striking range hitting 8 of 10 free throws in the third Hosley 5-6 and Greg Washington continuing his precision shooting from the line after 5-6 in the first half hitting 3-4 more in the quarter. Puyallup would answer with Tony Gutierrez hitting another pair of 3’s and a lay-in getting 8 points in the third and the Vikings would increase their lead 55-47 after 3.

This non conference match up got a little tense in the 4th quarter the Vikings opening on a 6-0 run, 4 technical fouls were assessed on a rebound play that ended with a held ball and some extra curricular pushing with 7:02 remaining and the score 61-47. Two T’s on each team, no free throws for either and neither team willing to back down. Tyrus Hosley and Greg Washington each getting 7 points in the final period, Hosely would finish with 25 and Washington with 17. The Vikings relentless defense created opportunities as they put up 20 more points on the Plainsmen, Brooks Balmer getting the last 7 points to put the Vikings over 80 points and getting free wings for everyone in the gym from the Sparks Firehouse Deli 80 point wing promotion. Tony Gutierrez lead the Viks with 25, Deven Neff had 16 and Balmer 12

The Final Score
Puyallup 81, Evergreen-Vancouver 65.

Top Performers:
Puyallup
Tony Gutierrez- 25 points
Deven Neff- 16 points
Brooks Balmer- 12 points

Evergreen-Vancouver
Tyrus Hosley 25 points (7-8 FT’s)
Greg Washington 17 points (9-13 FT’s)
Payton Monda 13 points

Audio Recap: Federal Way vs. Kentwood

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Game Recap
Federal Way vs. Kentwood 1-12-16

Divisional leaders in the South Puget Sound League squared off Tuesday night as the Northwest leading Federal Way Eagles faced the Northwest leaders Kentwood. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of an exciting matchup including post-game comments by head coach of the defending 4A champions Jerome Collins of Federal Way!

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

 

Head Coach Interview: Mike Arte (Gonzaga Prep) Part 1

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Gonzaga Prep – Girls Head Coach
Mike Arte

Back-to-back 4A champions Gonzaga Prep are in the middle of a competitive Greater Spokane League race this season and we had a chance to catch up with head coach of the Bullpups Mike Arte in a two-part interview.

Listen as Coach Arte talks about this year’s team and the challenges in maintaining state championship level play after a core group of talent including Laura Stockton, Otiona Gildon, Oona Harrington, and Lauren Weir graduated.

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

 

Audio Recap: Curtis vs. Rogers-Puyallup

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Game Recap
Curtis vs. Rogers-Puyallup 1-9-16

The leaders of the SPSL-South in Curtis hosted the Rogers Rams from Puyallup on Saturday night! Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game including post-game comments from Curtis head coach Tim Kelly!

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

 

Audio Recap: Lakeside vs. Garfield (Girls)

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Game Recap
Lakeside vs. Garfield (Girls) 1-9-16

A pair of top Metro League teams met on Friday night as Lakeside hosted the Garfield Bulldogs. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game including post-game comments by Lions head coach Patrick Chinn!

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

 

Head Coach Interview: Bill Bakamus (Mark Morris) Part 2

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In part two of our interview with Coach Bill Bakamus from Mark Morris, we talk about the community impact of his basketball program. He describes traditions on game night such as honoring someone before each game such as an alumnus or teacher in which they pick up “the gavel” and they “pound the middle of the floor and our announcer then says, ‘The king’s court is now in session!'”

The Monarchs’ involvement in the community is focused on giving back to those that are less fortunate including providing basic necessities during the holidays and helping people with yard work. He tells his players it is a part of showing thanks for everything they receive as high school athletes including uniforms, funds for trips, etc.

We close out the interview by talking about his character development philosophies as a coach. The skills he tries to impart on his student-athletes embodies his claim that, “There’s just a certain expectation we have as being a Mark Morris basketball player.”

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

 

Garfield Downs Lakeside Despite Brown’s Fifty

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Garfield Downs Lakeside Despite Brown’s Fifty
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 8th 2016 Boys 3A Metro
Lakeside High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 13 13 16 20 62
Garfield 16 22 26 20 84


Garfield senior Terrell Brown

The nightcap of Friday night hoops at Lakeside was the boys varsity game between host Lakeside and defending 3A champions Garfield. The high energy of both student sections in the cozy confines of the packed gymnasium translated to the court as the first eight minutes was a back-and-forth affair. The Lions held the Bulldog attack at bay early and led late in the first frame. However, they failed to knock down several attempts from downtown so the margin was slim. J’Raan Brooks capped of the first quarter with a tip-in at the buzzer.

The second quarter picked up where the first left off as Brooks inspired a scoring spree that gave Garfield a lead they would not relinquish. The full compliment of weapons that Coach Ed Haskins has on his roster began to heat up including Jaylen Nowell and former Lakeside Lion Daejon Davis. Isiah Brown made a valiant effort in this game to keep the Lions competitive by scoring 50 of Lakeside’s 62 points. Many of Brown’s shots were in heavy traffic and a number of them were from well beyond the arc. Garfield continues their dominance of Washington state hoops heading into the home stretch of league play.

The Final Score
Garfield 84, Lakeside 62.

Top Performers:
Garfield
Jaylen Nowell- 21 points

Lakeside
Isiah Brown- 50 points

Puyallup Prevails in Crosstown Rivalry With Rogers

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Puyallup Prevails in Crosstown Rivalry With Rogers
By Nic Beckman

Thursday- January 7th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL-South
Paul B. Hanawalt Pavilion (Puyallup HS) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rogers 10 17 15 15 57
Puyallup 16 15 22 15 68

Thursday night basketball might not be as much fun as Friday, but rivalry basketball on any night is fun. The Rogers Rams coming off a 53-50 loss at Spanaway Lake who were vying with Puyallup for the 2nd spot in the SPSL South felt like they could head into the valley and get a win at Puyallup High School. The Vikings conversely were coming off a tough road win 48-43 over the other rival from up on the hill, Emerald Ridge. The Vikings were happy to be back in the friendly confines of Paul B. Hanawalt Pavilion, in the new year. Braden Hannold knocked down a high arcing 3 to get the Rams going, the Vikings were able to answer and put up 16 points, Tony Gutierrez contributing 8, matching the two 3’s by Hannold who had 6 of the Rams 10 points. As the Vikings heated up from outside hitting 3 more 3’s for 7 total in the first half, the Rams 6-5 senior post Daniel O’Brien worked inside for 12 points to lead his team and all scorers into the half with the Vikings up 31-27 as Jaden Vollmen was able to convert a lay in before the buzzer to give his team the 4 point lead.

In the 3rd, the Rams hit the bonus first going 7-11 from the line, Braden Hannold hitting 4-5 and added a high flying tip back to score 6 in the quarter. With just 15.4 seconds remaining on the clock Hannold with a strong move to the hoop was met by Jaden Vollmen at the pinnacle and came down hard to the floor, Vollmen was called for a foul, but Hannold was unable to take the free throws. He was helped off the floor and would return for a short stint in the 4th and would finish with the 15 already in the book. The Vikings 3rd quarter was highlighted by the tandem of Vollmen and team leading scorer Deven Neff who each scored 8, Neff would finish with 17. Vollmen going 4-4 from the line would finish with 14, along with Jacob Holcomb’s 3rd 3, Puyallup built on their halftime lead of 4 to stretch it to 11, at 53-42. Both teams kept up the pace and the pressure as Konnor Bandley of the Rams knocked down a couple of 3’s and went 2-2 from the line for 8 of his 16 points and Daniel O’Brien added 5 to his 12 point 2nd quarter to lead Rogers with 17 total. Tony Gutierrez after taking a fall in the 3rd found his range from 3 point land and carried the Vikings 4th quarter hitting 4 of his 6 3’s to finish with a game high 20 on the night. Puyallup and Rogers each with 15 in the 4th quarter ended with the Vikings up, The Final Score 68-57. Puyallup maintains their hold on 2 place in the SPSL South at 5-1 over 4-2 Emerald Ridge. Next up for Puyallup, Saturday night basketball at home vs Spanaway Lake with both teams coming off wins over the Rams.

The Final Score
Puyallup 68, Rogers-Puyallup 57.

Top Performers:
Puyallup
Tony Gutierrez- 20 points
Rogers-Puyallup
Daniel O’Brien- 17

Audio Recap: Bellevue vs. Inglemoor (Girls)

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Bellevue Head Coach Lisa Krautter

Game Recap
Bellevue vs. Inglemoor 1-4-16

Undefeated Bellevue hosted the tough Inglemoor Vikings on Monday night following their big Tournament of Champions win in Arizona over the holiday break! Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game including post-game comments from Bellevue head coach Lisa Krautter!

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