High school basketball roundup: North Thurston knocks off undefeated, 4A-Olympia
FRIDAY (DEC. 22)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A
North Thurston 54, Olympia 38
Junior guard Liam Sheeran was one of three Rams in double-figures, and 3A-North Thurston knocked off the reigning 4A runner-ups on Friday night – snapping Olympia’s six-game win streak and spoiling its undefeated status.
North Thurston surrendered only five total points in the fourth quarter, and a standout defensive performance in the closing minutes secured the program’s strongest win of the season.
Sheeran paced the Rams with 13 points, adding three rebounds and three assists at North Thurston High School.
Rams senior forward Ray Adams posted a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double, and North Thurston’s Ahmari Steplight added 10 points (two three-pointers).
“Great defensive game from Micah Anderson and Micah Gentry,” North Thurston head coach Mike Conner added.
North Thurston (5-0, 7-1) remains undefeated versus in-state programs, its lone loss to Colorado-based Eaglecrest High School on Dec. 14.
Olympia forward Matt Lindblom dropped a game-high 18 points and went 6-for-7 from the free-throw line.
BOX SCORE
O: 14-9-10-5–38
NT: 13-14-12-15–54
Kelso 67, Rogers (Puyallup) 48
Kelso guard Hayden Yore took over in the third quarter and lifted the Hilanders to a home win over Rogers on Friday afternoon.
Yore dropped a game-high 25 points and drilled a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter. But he accounted for 11 of Kelso’s 23 points in a big third frame before the lead ballooned to double-digits – instant gratification following Kelso’s loss to 4A-SPSL Emerald Ridge one night before.
Hilanders post Payton Stewart added 17 points and scored at least four points in every period.
Rogers guard Dylan Gilderhus paced the Rams with 14 points (four three-pointers). Junior guard Treyshawn Witherspoon and senior forward Amanna Anusiem added 10 points apiece.
Kelso earned 19 free-throw attempts (10-for-19) to Rogers’ nine (6-for-9).
BOX SCORE
R: 14-10-13-11–48
K: 12-18-23-14–67
THURSDAY (DEC. 21)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A/3A
Olympia 65, Lincoln 63
Bears forward Matt Lindblom delivered 19 points and Olympia outlasted Lincoln in a blow-for-blow heavyweight bout between two of the South Sound’s stronger (and undefeated) programs.
Within single digits for all of Thursday night, Lindblom’s 19 marked a team-high and Olympia used efficient shooting from the field (23-for-37, 62 percent) to control a slim lead from the second quarter on.
The reigning 4A runner-ups, Olympia (5-0, 6-0) remains unblemished. Six Bears tallied five-or-more points in the win (Lindblom, Carlson, Stanciu, Zapata, Hejtmanek, Buol).
Lincoln’s Omarion Boston, a 6-foot-5 senior forward, provided an interior-scoring display and dropped a game-high 31 points. He sank 11-of-12 free throw attempts; Lincoln went 21-of-24 from the line as a team.
Abes forward LaVhanta Sandling-Green added 15 points and went 8-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Lincoln (2-0, 6-1) remains undefeated in 3A PCL competition alongside Stadium (3-0, 7-1).
Todd Beamer 80, Rogers (Puyallup) 58
Todd Beamer’s Will Tellis dropped 25 points in the first half and the Titans used a 30-12 run in the second quarter to cruise past Rogers on Thursday night, now winners of three straight.
Tellis finished with a game-high 28 points and drilled six three-pointers. Caleb Berry added 23 points, and the duo combined for 24 of Beamer’s 30 points in the second quarter to erase an early deficit.
Rogers guard Dylan Gilderhus paced the Rams with 20 points and four triples. Junior guard Treyshawn Witherspoon scored 13.
BOX SCORE
TB: 20-30-15-15–80
R: 24-12-8-14–58
MORE SCORES
Non-League
Lakes 70, Clover Park 55
Federal Way 70, Mount Tahoma 53
Eatonville 62, Orting 52
GIRLS BASKETBALL
3A
Bonney Lake 47, Emerald Ridge 38
Bonney Lake’s Evin Elias and Azy Jackson dropped 20 points apiece – game-high scoring efforts on the road that powered the Panthers’ eighth consecutive win.
Elias, a senior guard, and Jackson, a freshman forward, formed a dynamic scoring duo that outscored Emerald Ridge on its own. Elias and Jackson were the only Panthers to score in the first quarter; Jackson totaled all of Bonney Lake’s six second-quarter points herself.
But their performances put Bonney Lake ahead by double-digits in the first quarter, and the Panthers never relinquished their lead at Emerald Ridge High School.
Emerald Ridge guard Noami Senato delivered a team-high 16 points and pulled the Jaguars within three at the half; Bonney Lake refused a comeback.
Both programs remain undefeated and atop their respective leagues. An out-of-league gauntlet with 4A programs continues for 3A-PCL Bonney Lake (3-0, 8-1): Sumner awaits their meeting on Dec. 28.
Emerald Ridge (5-0, 5-2) maintains a two-game cushion on the 4A SPSL South.
BOX SCORE
BL: 16-6-10-15–47
ER: 5-14-9-10–38
TUESDAY (DEC. 19)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A
Tahoma 62, Federal Way 55
Dalton Brown posted a 25-point double-double that lifted Tahoma over Federal Way on Tuesday night – a key victory that keeps the Bears (4-0, 5-2) undefeated and alone atop the 4A NPSL.
In a clash between the league’s only remaining unbeaten programs, Brown stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks. Tahoma’s Jayden Stephens added 12 points and co-led the Bears with 10 rebounds.
Federal Way’s (3-1, 3-2) loss snaps a three-game win streak. Eagles guard Mason Thomas dropped a team-high 23 points and senior guard Kofi Peyton added 16.
The programs meet for a rematch at Federal Way High School on Jan. 25, 2024.
BOX SCORE
FW: 10-20-9-16–55
T: 12-17-21-12–62
Puyallup 49, Graham-Kapowsin 38
The Drew Jones effect is materializing in Puyallup – the junior guard dropped a game-high 15 points and powered the Vikings past Graham-Kapowsin on Tuesday night.
In his second game since returning from injury (ankle), Jones penetrated Graham-Kapowsin defenders and wowed Puyallup coach Kevin Olson with a flurry of impressive finishes at the rim. Despite receiving a three-to-four week recovery timeline on Dec. 5, Jones returned in two weeks and missed only four games.
The difference is tangible: Puyallup remains unblemished (4-0) with Jones on the court and went 1-3 in his absence.
“Game changer,” Olson said of his guard.
Puyallup sophomore Will Nasinec poured in 13 points. Senior guard Isaiah Sonntag added seven.
Graham-Kapowsin’s Isaiah Norris paced the Eagles with 11 points; Isaac Norris and Ciaosen Fuller-Harvey posted eight apiece.
Lincoln 70, Rogers (Puyallup) 69
Abes forward Omarion Boston dropped a game-high 22 points, and Lincoln survived a late rally at Rogers High School for a sixth-straight win on Tuesday night.
Boston sparked Lincoln’s first-quarter with seven points – the Abes led by the same amount after one period – and Rogers’ 23-point fourth quarter fell just short.
Senior forward LaVhanta Sandling-Green emerged in the second half and supplemented Lincoln’s consistent scoring attack with 16 points (eight in the third quarter). Freshman guard Trey Collier dropped 10 points and senior forward Wyatt Ulsh added eight.
Midway through a gauntlet of out-of-league programs, Lincoln (2-0, 4-0) remains unbeaten and has knocked off four 4A opponents (Bellarmine Prep, Federal Way, Lake Stevens, Rogers). The Abes co-share the 3A SSC lead alongside Stadium (3-0, 7-1), which sets up an exciting clash between the Abes and Tigers on Jan. 3.
Rogers guard Treyshawn Witherspoon dropped a team-high 16 points. Rams forward Amanna Anusiem scored 15 points and sank three triples.
BOX SCORE
L: 19-16-18-17–70
R: 12-21-13-23–69
MONDAY (DEC. 18)
GIRLS BASKETBALL
2A
Timberline 60, Tumwater 33
A lopsided second quarter propelled Timberline’s seventh-straight victory in Monday night’s non-league clash between first-place programs at Tumwater.
The Blazers’ 21-4 run in the frame erased a two-point deficit on Monday night, and instead handed Timberline control of a double-digit lead by the half.
Timberline (4-0, 7-0) co-shares the 3A SSC lead alongside undefeated North Thurston (4-0, 6-0). The programs meet on Jan. 10, 2024 and for a regular-season finale on Feb. 1.
Monday night marked Tumwater’s first loss this season – but the T-Birds (4-0, 6-1) are still atop the 2A Evergreen and undefeated in conference play.
Tumwater guard Rhylee Beebe paced the T-Birds with seven points. Senior forward Makenzie Kolb and sophomore forward Elsa Schreck added six each.
BOX SCORE
TIMB: 13-21-17-9–60
TUM: 15-4-8-6–33
This story was originally published December 20, 2023 at 4:24 PM.
