Rivers scores game-winner in final minute, Stadium tops Lincoln in 3A PCL rivalry matchup
Stadium High School basketball opened 2024 with a victory Wednesday night in Tacoma.
Trailing by as many as nine in the first half, the Tigers rallied past rival Lincoln in the final two quarters, and eventually closed out a 59-56 win to take the Class 3A Pierce County League lead.
The win sends the Tigers to 9-1 overall so far this winter, and gives them early momentum as league play continues throughout January.
“This gives us a lot right now,” Stadium junior Baaroc Rivers said. “It was a good game. They came out and fought. I feel like this game is going to take us to another level.”
Rivers hit what turned out to be the game-winner with 49 seconds remaining. The score tied at 56-56 following a quick 5-0 run from Lincoln, the Tigers’ point guard brought the ball up the court, sprinted towards the basket, and pulled up for a short jumper near the baseline that banked off the backboard and into the hoop.
Four possessions later, following a Lincoln turnover, Rivers added the second of two free throw attempts to give Stadium a three-point advantage with 8.1 to play.
Stadium’s defense then limited the Abes to a contested off-balance jumper on their last possession, and the final buzzer sounded after the shot bounced off the rim. The loss was Lincoln’s (8-2) first in league play this winter.
“This was a good game,” Rivers said. “Both 8-1. This was a statement game.”
The Abes controlled the contest through much of the first half. Stadium took the game’s first lead on the first possession on a 3-pointer from junior guard Donovan Gill, but Omarion Boston’s second basket of the contest with 4:28 to go in the first gave the Abes an 8-6 lead they held until early in the third.
Boston, a senior forward, scored eight of his 15 points in the first half, while senior forward Dairius Dillard added 10 of his 12 in the first two quarters.
The Abes pushed the lead as high as 27-16 with 4:06 to play in the second quarter on a basket from senior guard La’Vhante Sandling-Green before Stadium ended the half on an 11-5 run to close the gap to 32-27 at halftime.
Stadium opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run, briefly regaining the lead on the last of Gill’s four consecutive made free throws early in the quarter, but Lincoln responded not long after.
There were seven lead changes and five ties in the final two quarters before the Tigers eventually secured the win.
Stadium led by as many as five twice in the fourth, including following a Kaiden Pitts basket with 1:23 left, but Sandling-Green answered with Lincoln’s final five points in the next 22 seconds, tying the game at 56-56 on a free throw with 1:01 left.
Rivers’ game-winner was on Stadium’s next possession.
“We wanted to get it,” Rivers said. “Go play defense, go get it, just go all out for this one. We needed it. Good win.”
Rivers and Gill each had 13 points to pace Stadium in the win, while Andrew Vindivich added 10. Boston and Sandling-Green each had 15 points to lead Lincoln, while Dillard had 12.
Stadium travels to play another 3A PCL contender in Mount Tahoma on Friday night, while Lincoln will host rival Silas in a league contest.
The two programs meet again later this month at Lincoln, with the second league contest scheduled for Jan. 23.
This story was originally published January 4, 2024 at 12:05 AM.
