High school all-state boys face off in WIBCA hoops: Anderson, Auburn trio help pace 3A past 4A
With seconds remaining in a close contest Saturday afternoon in University Place, Auburn High School senior Tre Blassingame lofted a pass up the court to longtime teammate Kaden Hansen.
Hansen coolly banked in the layup, giving the Class 3A team a three-point advantage over their 4A opponents with 5.3 seconds to play in the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association all-state game.
It was just enough.
A last second attempt to tie it from half court bounced off the backboard, and the 3A team closed out a 105-102 win in the annual senior All-Star contest at Curtis High School.
“We told the guys, it’s winning time,” said Auburn coach Ryan Hansen, who coached the 3A side. “The last four minutes, it’s time to go make plays and win the game.”
After the 4A team tied what was a close contest throughout — neither side led by more than seven, and there were 14 lead changes and 13 ties — with 1:17 to play on a short jumper by Union’s Bryson Metz, Hazen’s Jaxon Nap gave 3A the lead for good on a pair of free throws with 58.3 seconds remaining.
Hansen’s final layup two possessions later sealed the win, and added another victory for three Auburn seniors — Blassingame, Kaden Hansen and Maleek Arington — that helped guide the Trojans to the program’s first state title two weeks ago in the Tacoma Dome before playing in Saturday’s showcase.
“It was special,” Ryan Hansen said of being able to coach three of his players in the game. “ … To be around them as much as I can, it means a lot to me. And then to have a son in his senior year is obviously special, too.”
Blassingame — who was also named WIBCA’s 3A state player of the year this season — contributed 11 points, four rebounds and two assists for the 3A team.
“It’s super cool,” he said of the honor. “I’ve been working hard for a lot of years, so to finally get recognized for it, it means a lot to me.”
Arington added seven points, four rebounds and three assists and Kaden Hansen had six points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Mount Tahoma’s Asjon Anderson led the 3A group with a game-high 23 points, including five 3-pointers, four rebounds and two assists.
Kelso’s Michael Foust (15 points), Nap (11 points) and Mountlake Terrace’s Jeffrey Anyimah (10 points, eight rebounds) also finished in double figures scoring for 3A.
On the 4A side, Kamiakin’s Tyler Bilodeau, the Oregon State-bound forward who was also named Mr. Basketball by WIBCA this season, completed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Camas’ Carson Frawley led the 4A side with 19 points, including four 3-pointers, while Glacier Peak’s Bobby Siebers (14 points), Mount Si’s Quin Patterson (12 points), Tahoma’s Carson Talbert (12 points) and Eastlake’s Will Woodward (11 points, seven rebounds) also reached double figures.
1A BOYS 109, 2A BOYS 99
The 1A boys pulled away late in the second half, paced by a game-high 25 points from Life Christian’s Bradley Swillie.
Swillie finished 10-of-22 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and added seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
King’s forward Jordan Hansen, the WIBCA 1A state player of the year, had 22 points and seven boards in the win.
Seattle Academy’s Logan Britt (18 points) and Freeman’s Quin Goldsmith (10) also finished in double figures scoring for the 1A side.
WIBCA 2A state player of the year Jonas La Tour, from North Kitsap, led the 2A team with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Port Angeles’ Wyatt Dunning completed a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, and West Valley of Spokane’s Turner Livingston (15 points), North Kitsap’s Johny Olmstead (12 points) and Franklin Pierce’s John John Barbee (11 points) also finished in double figures.
2B BOYS 115, 1B BOYS 95
Colfax’s John Lustig, the WIBCA 2B state player of the year, led all scorers with 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including five 3-pointers.
The LC State-bound guard added 11 rebounds to complete a double-double, and had three assists to pace the 2B team to the win.
Liberty of Spangle’s Tayshawn Colvin added 26 points and eight rebounds for the 2B team, while Ilwaco’s Jaden Turner had 19 points, five rebounds and three assists, Oroville’s Noah Hildebrand added a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds and Raymond’s Tre’ Seydel had 13 points and four boards.
Moses Lake Christian Academy’s Pierre Boorman led the 1B team with 28 points, including four 3-pointers, and four rebounds.
Yakama Nation Tribal School’s Justice Hart, the WIBCA 1B state player of the year, had 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Three more players also reached double figures scoring for the 1B team, including Willapa Valley’s Tyler Adkins (12 points, nine rebounds), Cusick’s Colton Seymour (12 points, six rebounds, four assists) and Northwest Yeshiva’s Yoel Kintzer (10 points, five rebounds).
This story was originally published March 19, 2022 at 8:40 PM.
