Rainier Beach Holds off Bothell’s Late Surge

---

The battle of #1 teams in the 4A and 3A Boys classifications lived up to it’s billing.  Before tip-off, you could feel the electricity in the air as it was standing room only in Royal Brougham Pavilion on Seattle Pacific University’s campus.

Beach started the game with three straight steals and two easy layups to go up 4-0.  From there, these two elite teams in Washington exchanged baskets to end the first, with Beach leading 13-8.  Beach’s defensive pressure continued in the second quarter, pressing Bothell point guard’s full court and creating turnovers.  Both teams were able to get out in transition and finish with some extravagant dunks in the first half.  Bothell’s Zach Lavine led all scorers in the first half with 12, but Beach took an eight point 36-28 lead into halftime.

Beach’s defensive pressure slowed early in the third quarter, allowing both offenses to run more half court sets.  The game became increasingly more physical later in the third as both teams battled for every loose ball.  Beach picked up their defensive pressure late in the third period, and closed out the quarter with an 11 point lead, 49-38.

Bothell’s Lavine tried to bring his team back with 15 of his 34 points in the fourth period.  But Jordan King held his Vikings in the lead with eight of his own in the final quarter.  Bothell battled back as they pushed the Vikings in the final minutes of play.  A few missed free throws down the stretch allowed the Cougars an opportunity for one last attempt.  Lavine took a three to tie the game at the buzzer, but the shot hit front iron and bounced off, giving the Vikings the 66-63 win.

Leading Scorers:
Bothell
Zach Lavine (34)
Josh Martin (12)
Perrion Callendret (12)

Rainier Beach
Jordan King (14)
Will Dorsey (13)

1st Half Video Highlights

2nd Half Video Highlights