Game recaps, highlights from the opening round of the 4A and 3A state basketball championships

Between the Class 4A and 3A boys and girls state tournaments, 60 basketball games will be played in the Tacoma Dome this weekend. The News Tribune will be at all of them, providing updates, game highlights, interviews, recaps and stats.

Here’s everything that happened during Wednesday’s opening-round loser-out games.

CLASS 4A BOYS

NO. 11 PUYALLUP 56, NO. 6 JACKSON 50

As the high school state tournaments begin each year, it seems the narrative of how difficult it is to shoot in the Tacoma Dome becomes a storyline.

Puyallup (21-7) provided an argument for both sides of that narrative in their 56-50 win over Jackson (18-6) in a Class 4A opening-round loser-out game Wednesday.

The Vikings shot 14 of 25 in the first half — including 4 of 10 from 3-point range — to build a 33-17 lead at halftime. But, Puyallup shot just 14 of 30 from the free-throw line, missing many in the fourth quarter, to allow the Timberwolves to hang around late.

“We practiced in a gym where there was some depth perception,” sophomore guard Cobi Campbell said. “That definitely helped with our shooting. Everybody was just moving the ball and getting great shots. It’s not that hard to shoot when you’re open.”

Campbell scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half, including two big 3-pointers, to help the Vikings build the lead, which proved too much for the Timberwolves to overcome.

Despite the hot shooting in the first half for the Vikings, their struggles from the free throw line down the stretch were a concern.

“We’ve been a really good free-throw shooting team,” Scott Campbell said. “Clearly, we didn’t shoot them very well today, but everything else we did put us in a position where we could not shoot them well, and still win.

“I have total confidence that we’ll shoot them better tomorrow.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Vikings in Thursday’s quarterfinals, when they’ll face No. 4 Mt. Si (24-2) at 9 a.m.

Puyallup’s victory over Jackson was its first victory in the Tacoma Dome since 2004.

—Aaron Lommers, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

P – Shooting: 19 of 42 (45.2 percent). Free throws: 14 of 30 (46.7). Turnovers: 14.

J – Shooting: 15 of 49 (30.6 percent). Free throws: 16 of 17 (94.1). Turnovers: 10.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

P – Cobi Campbell 20, Jacob Holcomb 7, Zane Foster 7, Kendall Munson 7, Jaeden Ingram 11, Luke Holcomb 4.

J – Christian Liddell 17, Jaylen Searles 7, Carter Korab 5, Ben Olesen 9, Kyle Bigovich 10, Nick Sysum 2.

NO. 7 CURTIS 46, NO. 10 GLACIER PEAK 43

Curtis High School senior Zack Paulsen has played his entire senior season with a nagging ankle injury.

But, the Seattle Pacific signee made this much clear Wednesday morning in the Tacoma Dome — he’s not stopping now.

Paulsen poured in a game-high 19 points and made two clutch baskets in the final two minutes to lift the seventh-seeded Vikings past No. 10 Glacier Peak, 46-43, in the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament.

“We had to win the game,” Paulsen said. “This means more than anything to me. We’re here. This is my last chance. I’ve been here four years, and I’m trying to come out with one, so anything we have to do to win, I’m going to play.”

Paulsen drove into the lane and converted the final go-ahead layup with one minute, 28 seconds to play to give Curtis a 44-43 advantage.

Moments later, he scooped up a loose ball after it bounced off of Glacier Peak forward Evan Mannes’ hands, and ran nearly the length of the floor to push the Vikings’ lead to a slightly more comfortable three points with 43.4 seconds remaining.

“I saw the ball pop out, and we were up one (point), but I figured I had the opportunity,” Paulsen said. “There was like 40 seconds left, so I took it, put us up three. Being down three with 40 seconds left, is way harder than being down one.”

Glacier Peak (15-8) missed two 3-point attempts during its final two possessions, and Curtis (20-6) escaped with the narrow win, advancing to the state quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season, and ending the Grizzlies’ season.

In those final moments, after the Vikings had trailed by one or two possessions most of the way, Curtis coach Tim Kelly wasn’t surprised it was Paulsen — the two-time 4A SPSL MVP — who came up big.

“He’s always the guy who is going to make a play,” Kelly said.

Mannes scored a team-high 18 points for the Grizzlies. No other scorer from either team reached double figures.

—Lauren Smith, staff writer

TEAM STATISTICS

GP – Shooting: 17 of 44 (38.6 percent). Free throws: 5 of 12 (41.7). Turnovers: 20.

C – Shooting: 15 of 46 (32.6 percent). Free throws: 14 of 24 (58.3). Turnovers 7.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

GP – Brayden Quantrille 6, Fletcher Douglas 5, Bradyen Corwin 8, Evan Mannes 18, Noah Forman 4, Cedric Jones 2.

C – Zack Paulsen 19, Jared Franklin 8, Solomon McGinnis 9, Maceo Lewis 8, Isaac Morrow 2.

NO. 5 RICHLAND 81, NO. 13 MOUNT RAINIER 51

In the past decade, Mount Rainier has played five games at the boys basketball state championships.

In the past two seasons, Richland has survived seven games in the Tacoma Dome.

That kind of experience is invaluable this time of year — and the fifth-ranked Bombers showed why in sweeping aside the No. 13 Rams, 81-51, in the opening round Wednesday afternoon of the Class 4A tournament.

Richland (21-4) earned a quarterfinal date Thursday against Federal Way. Tipoff is at 12:15 p.m. The Rams are out.

If the Bombers bring back the same offensive crispness they showcased Wednesday, they could give the Eagles a run for their money.

Richland shot 50.8 percent from the floor against the Rams, including a 15 of 26 effort in the first half as the Bombers built a 34-14 lead.

“I wish a few more (shots) would have fallen … to put us in a competitive game, which is where we thrive,” Mount Rainier coach Brandon Horstman said. “It never got to that point.”

Whereas the Rams (18-9) were settling for outside jumpers, the Bombers were making quick passes — and getting easy shots.

And in the second half, they started draining 3-pointers — eight of them. Leading scorer Colten Northrop made three of them en route to his game-high 24 points.

“Our (state) experience helped us a lot,” Northrop said. “We knew how to come to play. We are all seniors. This is our last chance.”

Guard Amanuel Gebreziabher led the Rams with 18 points in the school’s first state trip since 2012.

“It was a great year for us,” Horstman said.

—Todd Milles, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

MR – Shooting: 17 of 72 (23.6 percent). Free throws: 13 of 19 (66.4). Turnovers: 8.

R – Shooting 31 of 61 (50.8 percent). Free throws 11 of 15 (73.3). Turnovers: 17.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

MR –Amanuel Gebreziabher 18, Kolten Lerwick 8, Robert Wright 6, Yadel Hedego 6, Michael Nelson 13.

R – Dhaunye Guice 12, Cody Sanderson 12, Garrett Streufert 10, Colten Horthrop 24, Jack Schuster 7, Conner Hofstad 9, Pierce Thompson 5, Matthew Kump 2.

NO. 9 KENTRIDGE 66, NO. 8 BATTLE GROUND 54

In Wednesday’s loser-out contest between ninth-seeded Kentridge High School and eighth-seeded Battle Ground, it took both teams a minute to shake the rust off and get in their groove.

And once Kentridge got into it, they stayed there.

Spurred on by dead-eye 3-point shooting, the Chargers defeated the Battle Ground, 66-54, in the opening round of the Class 4A boys state basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

After a close 17-13 first quarter, the Chargers let loose for a 23-point second quarter, and used tough defense to trigger seven first half turnovers.

Adding to the Tigers’ struggles was the foul trouble of 6-foot-9 standout forward Kaden Perry, who picked up an early second foul in the second quarter.

“We talked about being aggressive and going at him,” Kentridge coach Dave Jamison said. “He’s going to block your shot and go at you no matter what so you might as well stay aggressive.”

The Chargers pushed the lead to as much as 19 points in the first half by connecting from long range. Kentridge made six of their first eight 3-pointers and finished the game shooting 60 percent (9 of 15) from the perimeter.

“We talk about taking good shots and thought the first five or six were really in rhythm and good shots,” Jamison said. “We went for a couple of heat checks there ... banked one in, so that’s always nice.

“When guys are getting hot, they’re feeling it. It’s hard enough to shoot in here when you’re not used to it but that was a bonus and we’ll take that”

Kentridge will face No. 2 ranked Gonzaga Prep on at 2 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.

—Andrew Hammond, staff writer

TEAM STATISTICS

K – Shooting: 26 of 62 (41.9 percent). Free throws: 5 of 9 (55.6). Turnovers: 6.

BG – Shooting: 22 of 53 (41.5 percent). Free throws: 8 of 13 (61.5). Turnovers: 12.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

K – Cruz Medina 14, Moses Moore 12, Jeremy Banks 9, Jett Briceno 3, Owen Paznokas 22.

BG – KeAndre Hunter-Holiday 6, Vincent McCormic 6, Nathan Millspaugh 13, Brendan Beall 5, Kaden Perry 20.

CLASS 4A GIRLS

NO. 6 BELLARMINE PREP 57, NO. 14 HAZEN 33

If No. 6 Bellarmine Prep’s girls basketball team plays the way it did in the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament against No. 14 Hazen the rest of the way, the Lions believe they might have the pieces in place to make a run.

The Lions took Hazen out of its offensive game plan from start to finish, and scored at ease Wednesday to come away with a 57-33 win at the Tacoma Dome.

“We really focused on pushing the ball in transition, being patient in our plays, tough on defense,” Bellarmine coach Kim West said. “We needed to really show our intensity on the defensive end. I think we got some great steals that ended up in some transition points, which helped.”

Few teams in the state tournament can boast Bellarmine’s offensive balance, which may be its most important asset. Four Bellarmine players came into the game averaging double-digit scoring.

Against Hazen, it was forward Julia Bordeaux’s time to shine.

Bordeaux, also a state champion golfer at Bellarmine, scored a game-high 21 points for the Lions, while also hauling in 10 rebounds, and recording six steals and three assists.

“Our starting five, everyone is a weapon,” Bordeaux said. “That’s a huge thing, not a lot of teams have it.”

—Jon Manley, staff writer

TEAM STATISTICS

H – Shooting: 11 of 47 (23.4 percent). Free throws: 11 of 24 (45.8). Turnovers: 27.

BP – Shooting: 18 of 53 (34 percent). Free throws: 19 of 24 (79.2). Turnovers: 8.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

H – Sharaya Coe 11, Nia Johnson 8, Ialissa Fredrickson 5, Brooke Smith 4, Anna Browne 3, Ashley Smith 2.

BP – Julia Bordeaux 21, Callie Stevens 18, Ciara Gatpatan 11, Reyelle Frazier 7.

NO. 7 INGLEMOOR 65, NO. 15 ROGERS 54

The Inglemoor High School Vikings were peeved — about missing last-second shots and having to play an extra period.

They did not waste any more opportunities in overtime.

The Vikings scored the first 11 points to finally put away Rogers, 65-54, in one of the more thrilling first-round Class 4A girls basketball games Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome.

“Everybody was dialed in,” Inglemoor guard Lucy Young said.

But first, both teams had to survive some anxious moments in the fourth quarter.

Twice, Rogers fought back from sizable deficits in the second half — nine points in the third quarter, and eight points in the final quarter — to grab a 51-49 lead on Maddie Egan’s putback basket with one minute, seven seconds remaining.

Colbi Zorich tied it for the Vikings with her short field goal, 51-51, giving the Rams the ball for one final possession with 27 seconds to go to try and win it.

They never got the shot — standout guard Raigan Barrett, who led all scorers with 29 points, was called for a controversial illegal screen after handing the ball off to teammate Jazmyne Lillie at the top of the key.

“I thought it was a ridiculous call,” Rogers coach Amy Looker said. “But, that is part of life.”

Added Barrett: “I don’t know what to say. It is frustrating. We did not get a chance to be clutch and win it.”

Inglemoor had two chances to win it, but Young missed a tough shot in the lane. And after a Rams turnover, Jenna Troy’s short baseline jumper rimmed out.

But the Vikings did not miss for much of overtime, converting their first four field goal attempts - starting with Eva Taylor’s long 3-pointer.

“We were not going to let (the missed shots) stop us,” Young said. “It actually gave us a little more fire to keep going.”

Taylor led the Vikings with 15 points. Troy and Young added 14 apiece. Inglemoor (21-6) moves on to face Eastlake in the 4A quarterfinals Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

Rogers season ended, but not without a good battle.

“They did a great job,” Looker said. “I thought they seized the moment — got down but fought back.”

—Todd Milles, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

R – Shooting: 21 of 61 (34.4 percent). Free throws: 10 of 15 (66.7). Turnovers: 20.

I – Shooting 25 of 60 (41.7 percent). Free throws 9 of 14 (64.3). Turnovers: 17.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

R –Jazmyne illie 10, Raigan Barrett 29, Kaylie Stallcop 4, Maddie Egan 7, Jenai Ancheta 4.

I – Lucy Young 14, Jenna Troy 14, Abby Haller 4, Colbi Zorich 11, Eva Taylor 15, Katelyn Laccinoie 2, Abby Morrison 2, Isabella Reed 3.

NO. 5 GLACIER PEAK 58, NO. 12 CHIAWANA 49 (2OT)

It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t pretty, but the No. 5 Grizzlies (21-3) survived NO. 12 Chiawana 58-49 in double overtime in a 4A loser-out game.

The Grizzlies trailed by six points in the final minute of regulation, but rallied to tie the game and force overtime.

Then, the Grizzlies needed a putback by senior Haley Grambo at the buzzer to force a second overtime. In the second extra session, the Grizzlies finally put the game away, outscoring the Riverhawks 11-2.

Neither team shot the ball well.

Glacier Peak was 7 of 31 (22.6 percent) in the first half and 19 of 64 (29.7 percent) for the game. Chiawana was slightly worse, shooting 4 of 20 (20 percent) in the first half and 12 of 42 (28.6 percent) for the game.

Sophomore Aaliyah Collins led the Grizzlies with 20 points, including shooting 10 of 10 from the free throw line.

“For me at least, I just did not want to lose,” Collins said. “Especially for our seniors, it would’ve been their last game. I didn’t want to end the season with that game either if we would’ve lost. I think the motivation to keep winning just really helped us and pushing us to go further.”

Senior Sydney Guffey and sophomore Maya Erling each also added eight points for Glacier Peak. Sophomore Delaney Pink led the Riverhawks with 15 points.

The Grizzlies will face third-ranked Lewis and Clark (21-3) at 7:15 p.m. in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

—Aaron Lommers, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

C – Shooting: 12 of 42 (28.6 percent). Free throws: 20 of 30 (66.7 percent). Turnovers: 36.

GP – Shooting: 19 of 64 (29.7 percent). Free throws: 19 of 25 (76.0 percent). Turnovers: 33.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

C – Macey Morales 13, Alyssa Agundis 7, Delaney Pink 15, Clare Eubanks 7, Kylie Thorne 4, Bailie Bunger 3.

GP – Haley Grambo 4, Madison Rubino 7, Sydney Guffey 8, Aaliya Collins 20, Maya Erling 8, Shay Sande 6, Malia Smith 3, Tiara Hollimons 2.

NO. 1 WOODINVILLE 53, NO. 9 SUNNYSIDE 52

The top-seeded Falcons (24-3) survived a big scare from the Grizzlies (21-3), winning 53-52 in a 4A loser-out game.

Woodinville trailed by one with 7.4 seconds to go, but the Falcons set up an in-bounds play to go to freshman Veronica Sheffey, who converted a give-and-go with four seconds left to give the Falcons the lead.

The Grizzlies had one final chance to win the game, but senior Ashlee Maldonado’s 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed in and out.

“It’s really great, but it’s all because of the team and what we drew up in the timeout,” Sheffey said. “We play together, so it’s all a team win.”

Sheffey finished with 17 points for the Falcons, who were led by sophomore Mia Hughes who finished with 20 points.

Maldonado led all scorers finishing with 32 points, shooting 11 of 20 from the field and making four 3-pointers.

The Falcons move on to Thursday’s quarterfinals, where they will face second-seeded Kentridge (24-2) at 9 p.m.

—Aaron Lommers, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

S – Shooting: 18 of 40 (45 percent). Free throws: 10 of 11 (90.9 percent). Turnovers: 11.

W – Shooting: 24 of 53 (45.3 percent). Free throws: 2 of 3 (66.7 percent). Turnovers: 14.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

S – Brielle Newhouse 3, Ashlee Maldonado 32, Kameran Rodriguez 12, Carla Cardenas 5.

W – Veronica Sheffey 17, Madison Dubois 8, Morgan Lundquist 6, Mia Hughes 20, Rachel Moscatel 2.

CLASS 3A BOYS

NO. 11 O’DEA 69, NO. 6 LINCOLN 51

The same phrase seems to creep into conversation every winter, when the state’s best basketball programs arrive in the cavernous Tacoma Dome — no one shoots well on the first day.

No. 6 Lincoln High School (19-7) was a victim of that adage Wednesday evening. The Abes connected on just 20 of 67 shots Wednesday afternoon in their Class 3A state tournament opener, and dropped a 69-51 season-ending loss to No. 11 O’Dea.

It didn’t help either, that O’Dea’s 6-foot-9 power forward Paolo Banchero — a five-star prospect who is the consensus No. 6 player in the nation in the 2021 class — spent his afternoon keeping the Abes out of the paint.

“They weren’t scared,” Banchero said. “Most teams I could say are a little timid when they come inside on me, but they weren’t scared, so I just stood straight up.”

Banchero finished with a stunning seven blocks — O’Dea had 11 as a team — to send the Fighting Irish (18-8) into Thursday’s quarterfinals, and end Lincoln’s string of runs to that round, which date back to 2016. The Abes advanced as far as the semifinals the past two seasons.

“We had a tough time finding a rhythm. We’re used to playing inside-out, and having Paolo down there whose 6-10, it’s tough to get that inside game going with him being so big,” first-year Lincoln coach Ryan Rogers said.

“It kind of threw us off a little, and we didn’t make the plays we needed to make.”

Colorado football signee Jayden Simon, who typically controls Lincoln’s inside game, was held to just six points, though he did pull down a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Abes nearly matched O’Dea on the boards — the Irish finished with a 47-46 advantage — but the Irish pulled away early in the second half, finishing 26 of 60 from the floor.

Paul Johnson led all scorers with 15 points, while Jermaine Davis had 12 and Banchero was held to nine. Earnest Yearby was the only scorer for Lincoln to reach double figures with 11, while Julien Simon had nine.

“Everyone is capable of scoring,” Banchero said. “Everyone’s here to win, and we’re going to just try to do that.”

The Irish, which were a presumed 3A state favorite at the beginning of the season before injuries cost them several games, were without standout sophomore guard John Christofilis, who was sitting at the end of the bench with a boot on his left leg.

“There’s a little bit of adjustment having to play without John, just because he’s so dynamic ... but he’s been out for pretty long now, so I think we’ve been able to adjust well,” Banchero said.

—Lauren Smith writer

TEAM STATISTICS

O – Shooting: 26 of 60 (43.3 percent). Free throws: 12 of 18 (66.7). Turnovers: 18.

L – Shooting: 20 of 67 (29.9 percent). Free throws: 10 of 25 (40). Turnovers: 13.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

O – John Misel 7, Paolo Banchero 9, Dezjay Perkins 4, Jermaine Davis 12, Noah Williams 10, Calvin Thomas III 3, Daniel Thomas 1, Max Debiec 4, Paul Johnson 15, Jaylon Ellis 2, Emonte Scott 2.

L – Kashaud Babbs 4, Earnest Yearby 11, Julien Simon 9, Jayden Simon 6, Armoni Bashay 2, Reggie Archibald 4, Parker Androy 5, Chris Whitford 8, Ezra Nightingale 2.

NO. 10 INGRAHAM 40, NO. 7 PRAIRIE 36

Senior E’lijah Rabideau scored on a putback with 32.5 seconds left and senior Malik Johnson hit two free throws with 7.4 seconds left to break a 36-36 tie and give the Rams (18-8) a 40-36 victory over the Falcons (17-9) in a 3A opening-round loser-out game Wednesday.

“It definitely felt big,” Rabideau said of his basket with 32.5 seconds left. “We had the giant size advantage against them, so if I didn’t get it I knew Mitch (Saxon) was going to get it, and I just had the opportunity to get it and put it up.”

Rabideau scored just six points, but grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds for the Rams.

Junior Mitchell Saxon led Ingraham with 15 points. The Falcons were led junior Zeke Dixson, who finished with 11 points.

Ingraham held on despite scoring just 14 points in the second half, thanks, in part, to its defense which allowed just 16 in the final two quarters.

The Rams advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals, where they will face top-ranked Eastside Catholic (22-2) at 5:30 p.m.

Ingraham shot just 15 of 48 from the field Wednesday, but Rabideau expects that to improve against the Crusaders.

“Everybody is just trying to figure out the rims, because it’s a little different than the regular season,” Rabideau said. “Right now, we’re still adjusting. We can come out tomorrow and do an even better job.

“We’re feeling amazing, we’re ready to go.”

—Aaron Lommers, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

I – Shooting: 15 of 48 (31.3 percent). Free throws: 6 of 10 (60). Turnovers: 14.

P – Shooting: 14 of 51 (27.5 percent). Free throws: 5 of 9 (55.6). Turnovers: 6.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

I – Malik Johnson 7, Mitchell Saxon 15, Cozion Collins 8, Latrell Jones 2, E’lijah Rabideau 6, Eyob Hailu 2.

P – Aidan Fraly 5, Kameron Osborn 9, A.J. Dixson 4, Zeke Dixson 11, Thomas Hapgood 3, Mark Frazier 4.

NO. 5 KELSO 59, NO. 12 WILSON 42

It took an almighty run for the Wilson High School boys to return to the Tacoma Dome — but a matchup with 6-foot-5 forward Shaw Anderson and the Kelso Hilanders in the opening round of the Class 3A state tournament sent the Rams home early.

No. 5 Kelso defeated No. 12 Wilson, 59-42, behind Anderson’s 27 points and 15 rebounds, a monstrous performance by the Seattle Pacific signee that the Rams couldn’t match on either end.

“The journey to get here — four in a row loser-outs, two of them double overtime games — our seniors really rose to the occasion to get us just to this point,” Wilson coach Mike Cocke’ said.

“We weren’t satisfied to be here, but we just weren’t really good tonight. Credit Kelso, but also some of that was on us just not making shots, not executing.”

The Rams couldn’t find a rhythm on offense, settling too often for contested jumpers in the painted area that refused to fall.

Dominique Ellison gave Wilson a spark at the end of the first half, finishing a three-point play with 31 seconds left and then grabbing a steal as Kelso tried to take the ball the other way.

The Rams couldn’t score off of that extra possession, however, and went into the halftime break trailing 22-17.

Wilson’s zone defense bogged down Kelso shooters in the first half, but the Hilanders unloaded in the third quarter to blow the game open.

Seniors Riley Noah and Anderson worked a smooth inside-outside attack, with Noah contributing 17 points and seven rebounds to complement Anderson’s looming presence in the paint.

With 3:35 left in the third quarter, Noah canned his third 3-pointer to push Kelso to its first double-digit lead of the game.

“It’s hard to shoot in the Dome, we knew that and so we wanted to make them make some shots,” Cocke’ said of the pair. “I thought it was pretty good in the first half, but in the third quarter Noah really got going and made some 3’s, finally chased us out of our zone. They are two phenomenal high school players, they’re great kids.”

“I feel like it was a little nerve-wracking in the beginning,” Anderson said. “Once we got that first half out the way … we really clicked as a team in the second half.”

Kelso advances to face Rainier Beach, last year’s 3A runner-up, in the quarterfinals Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

—Thomas Kyle-Milward, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

W – Shooting: 18 of 61 (29.5 percent). Free throws: 3 of 7 (42.9). Turnovers: 5.

K – Shooting: 20 of 46 (43.5 percent). Free throws: 16 of 24 (66.7). Turnovers: 9.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

W – Emani Mitchell 4, Daniel Santana 5, Dominique Ellison 8, Kiwanis Thomas 11, Adam Maxon 7, Malik Howard 4, Jerome Smith 3.

K – Josh Webb 2, Riley Noah 17, Shaw Anderson 27, Drew Tack 2, Wyatt Brown 9, Saxon Hickey 2.

NO. 9 CAPITAL 48, NO. 8 WEST SEATTLE 41

How big was Capital High School’s 48-41 victory over West Seattle in the first round of the Class 3A state tournament on Wednesday night at the Tacoma Dome?

For starters, none of the Cougars players was born when their school last won a game at the state tournament site. That came in 1996, when Capital finished seventh.

“This is a huge win for our program,” said coach Brian Vandiver, who was a volunteer assistant with the 1995-96 team. “I’m not sure outside of our fans, too many people thought we could do it, but our kids believed they could.”

Senior guard Chris Penner got Capital (21-4) started with a pair of 3-pointers for a 6-0 run that didn’t last long. In the fourth quarter, Penner took over, scoring half of his game-high 26 points as the Cougars survived squandering a 10-point lead.

“A lot of people can’t shoot in the Dome. Hitting those two boosted my confidence right away,” Penner said. “I knew it was going to be a fun night.”

Grant Erickson also reached double figures for Capital with 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Nuh’Losi Roberson topped the Wildcats (17-9) with 17 points and Abdullah Mohamed added 11.

—Dave Weber, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

C – Shooting: 16 of 38 (42.1 percent). Free throws: 10 of 12 (83.3). Turnovers: 6.

WS – Shooting: 15 of 46 (32.6 percent). Free throws: 7 of 13 (53.8). Turnovers: 7.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

C – Gabe Landers 8, Chris Penner 26, Brandin Riedel 2, Grant Erickson 10, Jake Brandsma 2, Duncan McDermott 1.

WS – Sage Nelson 2, Roman Barnet 6, Nuh’Kosi Roberson 17, Abdullah Mohamed 6, Maar Rambang 2, Vladimer Salaridze 3.

CLASS 3A GIRLS

NO. 11 SNOHOMISH 42, NO. 6 SEATTLE PREP 39

Even playing in the cold air of a morning state-tournament game at the Tacoma Dome, senior guard Maya DuChesne felt the right sensation in her hands as she let go of the basketball in the final seconds.

Her 3-pointer with one second remaining completed the Panthers’ frantic comeback, and sent them into a quarterfinal date against Kamiakin.

“I thought I would be able to drive,” DuChesne said. “My second choice was (passing) to Courtney (Perry). She gave it back to me.”

DuChesne elevated over Emily Petro from the right-center arc, and sent the shot flying.

“To be honest, yeah — I did (think it was good),” DuChesne said. “I felt it. It was a weird feeling.”

Tied at 49-49, Seattle Prep had a chance for go-ahead points, but point guard Bea Franklin was called for a traveling violation with 10.7 seconds remaining.

The Panthers led by as many as 12 points (26-14) late in the third quarter.

DuChesne led all scorers with 18 points. Franklin and Moffitt had 11 points apiece for Seattle Prep.

—Todd Milles, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

S – Shooting: 16 of 39 (41 percent). Free throws: 8 of 18 (44.4). Turnovers: 12.

SP – Shooting: 17 of 42 (40.5 percent). Free throws: 3 of 4 (75). Turnovers: 21.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

S –Kinslee Gallatin 5, Ella Gallatin 8, Kayla Soderstrom 2, Maya DuChesne 18, Courtney Perry 9.

SP – Tamia Stricklin, Marie Hauck 2, Molly Moffitt 11, Emily Petro 4, Bea Franklin 11, Helen Sauvage 3, Lily Teders, McKenna Dorscht 2, Kamia Crudup 6.

NO. 15 EDMONDS-WOODWAY 54, NO. 7 BETHEL 45

High expectations? Sheesh, says Edmonds-Woodway High School guard Ingrid Fosberg.

“We play better as the underdog,” she said.

Four days after eliminating defending 3A girls state champion Gig Harbor in the regional round, the 15th-seeded Warriors shocked 3A West Central/Southwest bidistrict champion Bethel, 54-45, in the opening round of the state tournament Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome.

Edmonds-Woodway (15-9) moves on to face Prairie in the 3A quarterfinals at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

The Warriors broke out to a 16-point lead in the first half, then withstood a furious Bethel fourth-quarter rally.

Aryonna Porreca’s bank-shot 3-pointer got the Braves as close as they would get, 39-35, early in the fourth quarter.

But Fosberg answered by sinking a wide-open 3-pointer, which is something the Warriors — a preseason Wesco favorite that finished in sixth place — seemed to do every time they were challenged.

“We got on a run, and in the end, they would hit a 3,” Bethel forward Tiarra Brown said. “We had to get a stop, and couldn’t.”

Esmeralda Morales sparked the comeback, tallying 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers.

Her final 3-pointer cut Edmonds-Woodway’s lead to 46-41 with 3:55 to go, but the Warriros scored on five of their next seven possessions to put the game away.

—Todd Milles, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

EW – Shooting: 17 of 44 (38.6 percent). Free throws: 14 of 22 (63.6). Turnovers: 13.

B – Shooting: 19 of 57 (33.3 percent). Free throws: 2 of 4 (50). Turnovers: 17.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

EW – A.J. Martineau 4, Ingrid Fosberg 13, Maddie McMahon 2, Rebekah Dadalla 15, Adrienne Poling 15.

B – Sky Lett 5, Esmeralda Morales 21, Kyli Pasamanmte 2, Tiarra Brown 8, Aryonna Porreca 3, Samantha Hill 2, Patience Johnson 4.

NO. 12 ROOSEVELT 60, NO. 5 PENINSULA 56

Shots were falling for the No. 5 Peninsula High School girls basketball team in the first half of the Class 3A state tournament opening round at the Tacoma Dome on Wednesday afternoon against No. 12 Roosevelt.

But, in the second half — especially in the fourth quarter — the Seahawks went cold.

The Rough Riders took advantage, outscoring Peninsula by 12 points in the second half en route to a 60-56 win, eliminating the Seahawks.

“I think the lights kind of got to us,” said Peninsula senior Belle Frazier, a Portland State signee who scored 20 points in the loss.

“Being under the lights in front of everybody, I think we just got rattled toward the end. That can’t happen.”

Roosevelt was paced by senior guard Karmelah Dean, who scored a game-high 28 points, beating Peninsula in transition on several occasions.

While Peninsula led for much of the game, Roosevelt never panicked, keeping the game tight before taking the lead for good in the second half.

“Sometimes we start to slow down when another team gets a lead, and not play as well,” Dean said. “But today, we stayed focused, stayed under control, tuned out all the people and the noise. We talked to each other well.”

Frazier said Dean’s speed caused issues for the Seahawks’ defense.

“She’s the quickest point guard we’ve played all year,” Frazier said. “She’s a good player.”

Peninsula also failed to connect at all from beyond the arc, going 0 for 12 on 3-pointers in the loss.

“We had the right girls shooting the right shots,” Peninsula coach Mike Schick said. “They were open shots. We didn’t force too much today, which is nice.”

—Jon Manley, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

R – Shooting: 24 of 55 (43.6 percent). Free throws: 9 of 13 (69.2). Turnovers: 14.

P – Shooting: 19 of 50 (38 percent). Free throws: 18 of 26 (69.2). Turnovers: 10.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

R – Dean 28, Thiers 14, Dukes 4, Symons 4, Walker 4, Johnson 2.

P – Belle Frazier 20, Linsey Lovrovich 11, Kara McKinney 7, Renee Doss 7, Piper Bauer 7, Esther Pappuleas 2, Taryn Richter 2.

NO. 9 WEST SEATTLE 50, NO. 8 ARLINGTON 45

At 5-foot-7, Jasmine Gayles isn’t going to win many post-up battles.

But against a smaller Arlington team Wednesday, she went back to a skill set she utilized plenty in youth basketball.

“I have not grown too much since the fifth grade, so when I was younger, I was a post not being able to handle the ball very well, Gayles said. “It completely shifted when everyone started growing, and I didn’t.

“Having those skills in my back pocket was nice playing teams like this.”

Gayles scored a game-high 23 points, many coming on the interior, and the Indians held off the Eagles in the first round of the 3A tournament Wednesday.

West Seattle (19-5) will play Mount Spokane in the state quarterfinals Thursday at 2 p.m.

Arlington had its chances late after fighting back from a nine-point deficit early in the fourth quarter (44-35).

Josie Stupey’s two free throws cut West Seattle’s lead to 46-45 with 1:20 to go.

But, the Wildcats answered on Anissa Babitu’s bucket inside with 30 seconds remaining.

The Eagles worked it around for a game-tying 3-pointer, which Keira Marsh got off in the left corner with 18 seconds to go, but she missed.

—Todd Milles, contributing writer

TEAM STATISTICS

WS – Shooting 18 of 41 (43.9 percent). Free throws: 12 of 17 (70.6). Turnovers: 18.

A – Shooting 13 of 51 (25.5 percent). Free throws 15 of 21 (71.4). Turnovers: 11.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

WS – Jasmine Gayles 23, Grace Sarver 11, Julianna Horne 7, Meghan Fiso 5, Jayla Wilson 2, Ahissa Babitu 2.

A – Hailey Hiatt 16, Abby Schwark 5, Sierra Scheppele 1, Josie Stupey 13, Keira Marsh 8, Makenzie Gage 2.

This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 3:24 PM.

Lauren Smith

The News Tribune

360-754-5473

Lauren Smith is a sports reporter at The News Tribune. She has covered high school sports for TNT and The Olympian, as well as the Seattle Mariners and Washington Huskies. She is a graduate of UW and Emerald Ridge High School.