Wilson beats Lincoln for third time this season to advance to 3A district title game: 3 takeaways
If there was any doubt which was the best high school boys basketball team in Tacoma this season, the Wilson Rams made sure to leave no doubt, beating rival Lincoln on Thursday night, 60-54 in a West Central III/Southwest bi-district semifinal matchup at Puyallup High.
Three times Wilson has played Lincoln this season, emerging victorious in all three games.
“Coach told us in practice that we’ve got to execute,” said Wilson senior guard Damani Green, who scored 17 points in the win. “Beating a team three times isn’t easy. So we just have to lock in, stay focused and execute.”
Here are three takeaways from Wilson’s win in front of a packed gym in Puyallup.
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE
All week, Wilson worked almost exclusively on defense and conditioning in practice.
“It was hell,” Green said with a smile.
It showed on Thursday, with Wilson switching between its traditional man-to-man defense and a matchup zone to disrupt Lincoln and keep the Abes below 60 points.
“We really wanted to switch defenses,” said Wilson coach Mike Cocke. “We played a ton of man the first two times against them. We wanted to make them get out of their comfort zone a little bit. I thought it was good at times, bad at times. Again, the method was kind of there.”
The biggest challenge, in the first half, was slowing down highly-touted football prospect Julien Simon, who simply has strength that most basketball players can’t match. Simon was a man on a mission, driving at Wilson’s players and attacking the rim, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the first half.
“Obviously, Julien is a big time, Division-I athlete,” Cocke said. “We know that when he gets the ball, he’s a load to stop. He kept them in the game in the first half and I really challenged our guys at halftime to get in front of him, block him out and be just as physical as he is. Even if you’re not as strong as him, give better effort. I didn’t think our effort was great in the first half. I’m proud of our kids.”
DAMANI GREEN SETS THE TONE FOR WILSON — ON BOTH ENDS
Blink, and you might just miss Wilson’s senior guard, the heart and soul of the team, who seems to be everywhere at once. He’s a natural scorer all over the floor on offense, attacks the rim and creates for teammates, pushes the pace when he needs to and defensively, has a relentless workrate.
“He’s the best player in Tacoma,” Cocke said. “I don’t know if everybody sees that. Every team we play, he guards their best guard. We ask him to score a ton of points, we ask him to share the ball, we ask him to do all kinds of different things. He’s just a complete competitor. The only time he comes out of the game is when he’s cramping or can’t breathe.”
And he’s not afraid to throw his body on the line. Loose ball? Ill-advised floated pass? You’ll find Green there.
“He’s fearless,” Cocke said. “He’s got a huge heart. He loves the game, loves his teammates. He competes all the time. Every practice, every game. When your best player is your hardest worker, this is what happens.”
FRESHMAN CAYDEN MCDANIEL EMERGING AS IMPORTANT PIECE
The promise was there from the beginning of the season, when McDaniel would come off the bench and immediately make his case for more playing time. Now he’s starting for the Rams, and on Thursday, scored 12 points, including eight second-half points and made several clutch shots in the fourth quarter.
“He’s talented,” Cocke said. “We’re just trying to put him into spots where he can make plays for us. I thought he had some huge buckets down the stretch. He’s another guy, he’s not afraid, he wants the ball in his hands, he wants to make the big play. I think he’s going to be a special player.”
With Wilson’s depth, McDaniel has been able to ease into an increased role without unfair pressure that can accompany some freshmen talents.
“He’s been doing good, big things,” Green said. “He’s just playing his role and doing what he has to do.”
Wilson plays Evergreen for the Class 3A bi-district title on Saturday at Puyallup High School at noon.
