Wilson Survives Franklin Rally in Tournament of Champions Semi
By Steve Dion
| Thursday- December 29th | 2016 | Boys | Semifinal | Tournament of Champions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin High School | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Franklin | 19 | 14 | 34 | 15 | 82 | |
| Wilson | 24 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 85 | |
Wilson Junior Emmitt Matthews Jr.
In a classic battle of Tacoma & Seattle, Wilson travelled north to Franklin to take on the Quakers on their home floor in the Tournament of Champions semi matchup with a final against Cleveland on the line.
Anthony Stokes jumped out of the game red-hot from beyond the arc knocking down five triples in the first half prompting a Quaker timeout. Emmitt Matthews Jr. joined the fun by attacking the rim using his length in the pain on offense and defense.
Crafty point guard Marquan Williams kept Franklin within striking distance by scoring in a variety of ways and dishing the ball to his teammates. At the break, the Rams held a double-digit lead at 44-33.
As the second half progressed, the Quakers started finding their groove from the perimeter knocking down 11 from the Space Needle to not only even the score, but take the lead in the closing moments. However, Dave Alwert was able to rally his troops and guide Wilson to make the necessary plays down the stretch to survive by three points, which was nearly eclipsed on a desperation flurry of Franklin heaves. The Wilson Rams punched their ticket to the Tournament of Champions final in an unorthodox way, but ultimately accomplished the goal.
The Final Score
Wilson 85, Franklin 82.
Top Performers:
Wilson
Anthony Stokes- 24 points
Franklin
Marquan Williams- 29 points