Underdog Hazen edges Curtis again – this time in a state regionals matchup with the season on the line

The final Curtis High School possession took more than a minute off of the game clock.

It felt like an hour.

And, after Kiara Maxwell’s long game-winning 3-point attempt rimmed out, the Vikings’ disappointment might last an entire offseason.

Twice, Hazen came into postseason matchups against Curtis as the underdog.

And both times, the Highlanders won, including a hard-fought 47-45 victory Friday night in a Class 4A state regional loser-out game at Puyallup High School.

Hazen (18-9) returns to the state tournament for the first time since 2009, when it was a 3A school. The Highlanders will play the Lewis and Clark-Bellarmine Prep loser in the first round at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday in the Tacoma Dome.

“This validates the victory we had at Curtis,” said Hazen coach Jeffrey Bernhardt, referring to his team’s 44-43 win in their 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict opener in University Place two weeks ago.

“And tonight … for them to experience big-time playoff basketball is only going to be good for us.”

The few times Curtis (20-6), the 4A SPSL runner-up, recovered from sizable deficits to take a lead Friday, Hazen grabbed the advantage right back.

Maxwell hit a long 3-pointer just as the shot clock was expiring to give the Vikings a 36-33 lead early in the fourth quarter.

But, the Highlanders went on a 10-0 run, scoring on five of their next six possessions. Six points came on second chances. Hazen led 43-36 with three minutes, 39 seconds to go.

The Vikings sank three 3-pointers in the final minutes, including two by Kareyna Taylor. And Maxwell buried another one from the left corner to tie the game at 45-45 with 1:35 remaining.

Thirty seconds later, Anne Browne’s inside bucket gave the Highlanders the lead for good at 47-45.

Curtis had three chances on its final trip.

Taylor went hard to the basket, but her bank shot rimmed out. Ella Brubaker tipped the ball out, and the Vikings kept possession with 40 seconds to go.

Taylor tried splitting two defenders with an inside pass, but it was knocked out of bounds by the Highlanders with 20.3 seconds remaining.

“I was thinking, ‘Can we just grab the ball or a rebound please?’ ” Hazen forward Sharaya Coe said.

*And once again, Taylor dribbled into the lane and got a short shot up that missed. Sierra Lee grabbed an offensive rebound and got the ball out to the perimeter. Maxwell attempted a straightaway 3-pointer in the final seconds that was off line.

“It gave us a chance,” Curtis coach Jackie Thomas said.

Brubaker led the Vikings with a game-high 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Taylor and Maxwell added 10 points in the loss.

TEAM STATISTICS

H – Shooting: 17 of 49 (34.7 percent). Free throws: 8 of 12 (66.7). Turnovers: 17.

C – Shooting: 15 of 48 (31.3 percent). Free throws: 8 of 14 (57.1). Turnovers: 17.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

H – Anna Browne 4, Ialissa Fredrickson 15, Nia Johnson 12, Sharaya Cox 8, Ashley Smith 5, Brooke Smith 3.

C – Ella Brubaker 16, Kiara Maxwell 10, Shawnacee Davis 7, Takara English 2, Sierra Lee, Kareyna Taylor 10.