Garfield Storms Back in Second Half to Knock Off Beach


Garfield Storms Back in Second Half to Knock Off Beach
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 13th 2017 Boys 3A Metro
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 16 20 15 9 60
Garfield 8 12 26 18 64

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Garfield Senior Jaylen Nowell

There is no question that excitement is building about Metro League hoops as the season rolls on.

A capacity crowd at Garfield High School arrived hours before the much anticipated varsity boys matchup between Rainier Beach & the host Bulldogs. A critical league win which would figure strongly into playoff seeding was on the line for two of the top teams in the state.

Coach Bethea’s Vikings were ready to tackle the challenge head on as his team jumped out to a sizeable lead in the first two quarters. Khalil Shabazz’s jumper was lights out by logging 13 of his team high 19 points in the first half. Additionally, the Beach defense locked down the several lethal scoring options for the Bulldogs only allowing 20 first-half points, a tremendous effort by the defending champs. N’Keil Nelson was unfazed by the big stage of the game making big plays on both sides of the floor. Garfield senior leader Jaylen Nowell had a quiet first half, could the Viks continue to limit the Bulldog star’s productivity in the final two quarters?

The proverbial light switch flipped on for the home team in the third quarter as the Rainier Beach lead shrunk from sixteen to five heading into the final frame. Much of this was due to Nowell finding his groove logging 13 in the third frame. Could they carry the newly-found momentum into the final quarter?

Much like last Friday’s game against West Seattle, Garfield got a lift from Curtis Walker who knocked down a few crucial buckets in the closing minutes to grab the lead and send the home crowd into a frenzy. Daejon Davis played a big role especially in the defensive side of the floor to set up the key baskets down the stretch. Rainier Beach’s inability to match the Bulldogs in the final minute allowed the Garfield lead to reach four with mere seconds remaining. An errant last shot sailed wide and the home team was greeted by the Dog Pound on the court after surmounting a 16 point halftime lead!

This rivalry matchup served as a reminder that the spotlight on high school hoops in Seattle continues to shine brighter as league play heats up and the playoffs on the horizon!

The Final Score
Garfield 64, Rainier Beach 60.

Top Performers:
Garfield
Jaylen Nowell- 25 points

Rainier Beach
Khalil Shabazz- 19 points

Garfield Fends Off Wildcats, Passes Tough Road Test


Garfield Fends Off Wildcats, Passes Tough Road Test
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 6th 2017 Boys 3A Metro
West Seattle High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Garfield 16 9 14 16 55
West Seattle 6 17 9 18 50

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Garfield Junior Eddie Turner

Fresh off their trip to the Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon last week, the Garfield Bulldogs took a short tour across the Spokane Street bridge to West Seattle to take on a sneaky West Seattle squad. Without star guard Jaylen Nowell, the Bulldogs were certain to have their hands full to pick up the road win.

Points were at a premium in this game for a pair of teams that typically register high scoring totals. The post presence of J’Raan Brooks was felt early as the junior for Garfield reached double digit in the points column before the break. Meanwhile, Nate Pryor shouldered the load for the home team by scoring 14 of his team’s 23 before the break.

When play resumed, Garfield was able to establish some breathing room thanks to a handful of heady plays by the crafty Curtis Walker who finished with 11 of his 15 in the second half. West Seattle was able to incorporate more weapons on offense like Abdullah Mohamed, Anthony Giomi, and Simon Harris, but Garfield held its ground and was able to retain its lead and keep pace at the top of the Metro League standings.

The Final Score
Garfield 55, West Seattle 50

Top Performers:
Garfield
J’raan Brooks- 16 points

West Seattle
Nate Pryor- 21 points