Game recaps, highlights from the finals, placing games of the 4A and 3A state basketball tournaments

Championship

NO. 1 CURTIS 49, NO. 3 OLYMPIA 43

Curtis and Olympia, both from the 4A South Puget Sound League, know each other well.

So when they faced off against each other in the 4A state championship game at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday night — the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season — it wasn’t surprising that nothing came easy.

The Vikings had to scratch and claw for every bucket, every defensive stop, every loose ball. Down the stretch, Curtis made more plays on the offensive end and on defense, took the Bears out of everything they wanted to do.

It resulted in a 48-41 win in front of a packed Tacoma Dome crowd in a game that lived up to the billing in every way imaginable. For the second straight season, the Vikings are 4A state champions.

Back to back — that has a nice ring to it.

“Man, amazing,” said Curtis junior guard Zoom Diallo, the tournament MVP. “Amazing. Not a lot of people can do what we just did. It’s a blessing.”

Diallo scored a game-high 21 points, making critical shots at key moments of the game. Cinque Maxwell added 10 points.

“Olympia, it was our fourth time playing them,” Diallo said. “We knew it was gonna be a tough one. The game was going back and forth. What we tried to say in the beginning was we didn’t want them to give us the first punch.

“They ended up giving us the first punch. We just ended up battling out. It’s a blessing that we just won that. Shoutout to Olympia, shoutout to the coaching staff, it was a great battle.”

Third-fifth place

NO. 4 FEDERAL WAY 69, NO. 2 MOUNT SI 63

Dace Pleasant buried his head in his jersey, heartbroken after he and teammates Isaiah Afework and Vaughn Weems were subbed off at the end of the Federal Way’s state semifinals loss to Curtis on Friday.

The Eagles had state title aspirations and gave it everything they had against Zoom Diallo and the top-seeded Vikings.

But this trio of players who burst onto the scene together as sophomores — Weems, Pleasant and Afework — have been through too much together and have too much pride to let their careers end with a dud. In Saturday’s third-fifth place game against Mount Si, they played with the fire and intensity that has typified their careers, winning 69-63.

“It was huge,” Afework said. “We were pretty upset with how the game ended yesterday, but the only thing we could do is come out and end on a win and that’s what we did.”

Weems, the 4A North Puget Sound League MVP this season, was brilliant, pouring in 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the floor. Pleasant scored 24 points and Dane Lewis added 10. Blake Forrest and Trevor Hennig scored 16 points apiece for Mount Si, while forward Miles Heide added 15.

While they fell short of their ultimate goal, Afework said he’ll remember the camaraderie more than the wins and losses.

“Just all the days grinding,” he said. “All those days when we didn’t feel like working, when we were out there working hard together. We did it as a group, as a collective and that’s something I’ll never forget.”

Fourth-sixth place

NO. 5 GONZAGA PREP 59, NO. 10 CAMAS 51

The Bullpups (24-5) posted a 20-point third quarter to outpace Camas in the second half of Saturday morning’s fourth-sixth place game, and earn their first trophy since their 4A state title run in 2019.

Jamil Miller scored a team-high 17 points for Gonzaga Prep in the win, and added a game-best nine rebounds.

Henry Sandberg added 15 points for the Bullpups and Carter Verret had 12 and seven rebounds.

Jamison Carlisle was the only Camas player to reach double figures, leading all scorers with 19.

The Papermakers (20-9) take home the sixth-place trophy — the program’s first since placing eighth at the 1A level in 1962.

CLASS 4A GIRLS

Championship

NO. 4 EASTLAKE 48, NO. 2 CAMAS 41

Eastlake held Camas to just 12 first-half points, then held on as the Papermakers stormed back in the second half to win the 4A girls state basketball championship for the second time in four seasons.

The Wolves got 24 points from all-tournament selection Sofia Aluas, two clutch free throws from Kaylia Jackson with 30 seconds left and beat the second-seeded Papermakers, 48-41, at the Tacoma Dome.

“I’m just so happy right now,” Aluas said. “I knew this all along. I knew we were going to be here. I knew we were going to win this thing.”

Aluas contributed 14 of those game-high points in the fourth quarter to help stave off the Camas rally from a 14-point deficit at the half, 26-12. Camas cut that lead in half by the end of the third quarter, and after Addison Harris scored on a putback with 17 seconds remaining, the Eastlake lead was just two, 43-41.

But Jackson stepped to the line two seconds later, made both free throws to extend the lead back to four, and the Wolves went on to win.

Third-fifth place

NO. 3 TAHOMA 61, NO. 7 KAMIAKIN 57

The look that passed between Hope Hassmann and Amelie Sitterud was all that they needed to see from one another.

The Tahoma seniors were on the Tacoma Dome floor as time ticked down in the Bears third-fifth place game against Kamiakin at the 4A state basketball tournament on Saturday afternoon. Things were tight after Maddy Rendall made the first of two free throws for the Braves with 3 minutes, 11 seconds left.

Tahoma was about to take the ball out, leading by a single point.

“My shots weren’t falling all game, but I just had a feeling,” Sitterud said. “Her and I have a look.”

“We just know each other so well,” Hassmann added.

Hassmann took the in-bounds, advanced the ball into the lane and turned back to the trailing Sitterud. Hassmann gave her the ball just outside the arc at the top of the key and Sitterud delivered, making her second 3-pointer of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to four as Tahoma hung on for a 61-57 victory.

It was the Bears first appearance in Tacoma this week since 1999, and their regional victory a week ago qualified as the program’s first state win since 1996. Tahoma added a pair of victories this weekend in Tacoma, losing in between to Camas in the semifinals on Friday.

That loss put the Bears (24-4) into the final consolation girls game of the day at 1 p.m. against the Braves (23-6).

“It’s always good when you end with a win,” Tahoma coach Peter Smith said. “That’s what’s good about the state tournament. Six teams get trophies and two teams win titles. Obviously it’s not the one we wanted, but we have a lot of happy kids right now.”

SItterud finished with just those six points. Hassmann led all scorers with 21 points, including the two free throws with 8.6 seconds that ensured the victory on Saturday after Kamiakin had erased what at its peak was a 17-point deficit.

Heading into the fourth, the Braves had sliced the lead to just two, 46-44, and Kamiakin took its first of just two leads all game when Emaunli Smith scored with 7:05 to play to make it 48-46.

The contest stayed within six points the rest of the way. Amelie Sitterud’s second 3-pointer of the fourth quarter with 2:34 to go extended the Tahoma lead back to four, 57-53.

“The timeout before that, I think I used some choice words,” Sitterud said. “I told them, we are not losing this game.”

Fourth-sixth place

NO. 1 WOODINVILLE 59, NO. 8 EMERALD RIDGE 43

The Falcons were quick to build a lead Saturday morning against an Emerald Ridge team that stunned them in the regional round last weekend.

That loss sent the defending 4A state champions to the same side of the bracket as No. 2 seed Camas, who beat them in Thursday’s quarterfinals in a matchup many thought would be played in Saturday night’s final.

Woodinville rallied from that loss, posting double-digit victories over its final two opponents in the Tacoma Dome this season, besting Gonzaga Prep in a loser-out consolation game Friday, and then the Jaguars in the fourth-sixth place game Saturday morning.

The Falcons (27-3) trophied for the third consecutive season, having now placed second, first and fourth in the past three tournaments.

Brooke Beresford led the Falcons on the final day, scoring a game-high 20 points and adding eight rebounds. Lyla Kahrimanovic (14 points, eight rebounds) and Jazlyn Wilkerson (13 points, seven rebounds) also reached double figures.

Woodinville held Emerald Ridge to 16-of-56 shooting (28.6) in the contest, and no Jaguars scorers reached double figures. Maya Barnett, Tami Gallo and Alina Sapilak each had a team-high eight points.

Emerald Ridge (21-8) still takes home a trophy for the first time in school history, earning sixth.

CLASS 3A BOYS

Championship

NO. 2 GARFIELD 69, NO. 5 O’DEA 50

In the fourth meeting between 3A Metro League rivals Garfield and O’Dea this season, the result was the same — a Garfield victory.

This time, though, the game ended with the Bulldogs lifting the 3A state championship trophy Saturday night at the Tacoma Dome.

Garfield (25-3) led by just one possession entering the final eight minutes, but posted a 25-point fourth quarter and held the Fighting Irish (21-9) to only eight points during that stretch to eventually close out a double-digit victory.

The championship is the 16th in program history for the Bulldogs, and third in the past five tournaments.

Legend Smiley led all scorers with 30 points on efficient 10-of-14 shooting, while Myles Damon added 14 for the Bulldogs. Mason Williams paced O’Dea with 14.

“I left it all out on the court,” Smiley said. “I didn’t wanna go out losing, I wanted a state ring. Auburn beat us last year, we went out in the first round. I wanted to come back showing I can prove I can win a championship.”

Auburn guard Luvens Valcin (14) guards Mount Spokane guard Ryan Lafferty (3) as the Auburn bench cheers Valcin on during the second quarter of the Class 3A 3rd/5th-place game on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Tacoma, Wash.

Third-fifth place

NO. 1 MOUNT SPOKANE 60, NO. 4 AUBURN 51

A big third quarter had Auburn looking hopeful for a third-place finish against top-seeded Mount Spokane on Saturday afternoon, but the Trojans went ice cold in the fourth quarter and the Wildcats took advantage, outscoring Auburn 21-3 in the final period to pull away for the win.

Auburn was dealing with a slew of injuries, with both Jaylen Petty — this year’s 3A NPSL MVP — and starter Semaj Brown not suited up for the contest.

Ryan Lafferty scored a game-high 19 points for Mount Spokane, Maverick Sanders added 18 and Andrew Rayment scored 16. Tyrell Nichols led Auburn with 17 points, Luvens Valcin scored 16 and Lateibreon Chandler scored 12.

Auburn shot just 31.6 percent from the field and 16 percent from 3-point range. Mount Spokane shot 45.3 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from 3-point range.

The fifth-place finish is tied for the fifth-best in program history — the Trojans won their first state title last year, took third in 1988, fourth in 1954 and 1981 and fifth in 1992.

Fourth-sixth place

NO. 10 BELLEVUE 67, NO. 3 EASTSIDE CATHOLIC 55 (OT)

Alex Yu made a 3-pointer with 14.8 seconds left to tie the game in regulation, then Bellevue outscored Eastside Catholic 13-1 in overtime of its victory in the fourth-sixth place game at the 3A boys state tournament on Saturday morning.

Yu’s shot erased one of the few deficits the Wolverines (25-5) faced against Eastside Catholic (20-10) all game. Bellevue built double-digit leads on a pair of occasions, once late in the first half and again late in the third quarter, only to have the Crusaders roar back with a 21-6 run over most of the fourth quarter.

“I’ve always said we’re a Top 5 team in the state,” Bellevue coach Kelly Edwards said. “You have to remind yourselves that the good teams are never going to go away, and every team that makes it to state is a quality team. This whole state (tournament), we’ve been up at times, we’ve been down at times. At no point did we ever quit. We showed that today.”

Brady Kageyama scored 19 points and had three assists to lead the Wolverines scoring attack. Nate Krohn scored 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds for Eastside Catholic.

CLASS 3A GIRLS

Championship

NO. 1 GARFIELD 58, NO. 3 LAKE WASHINGTON 49

For the third time in as many 3A state girls basketball tournaments, the same two programs found themselves facing off for a title. And for the third straight time, the Garfield Bulldogs raised the big gold ball at the Tacoma Dome.

Garfield erased an early double-digit deficit against Lake Washington in the first of four state finals played on Saturday, built its own lead in the second quarter, and went on to a 58-49 victory over the Kangaroos.

The Bulldogs (23-1) earned the coveted three-peat championship, all against Lake Washington dating back to 2020. No tournament was played in 2021 due to the pandemic.

And the Bulldogs don’t believe they’re done.

“I’m going after one more,” junior Katie Fiso said. “They’ve got to deal with me for one more year. We’re going for the four-peat.”

Imbie Jones paced the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Fiso added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Rakiyah Jackson had 12 points.

Sydney Hani led all scorers with 15 points for Lake Washington, and completed a double-double with 12 rebounds.

Third-fifth place

NO. 4 MEAD 69, NO. 2 ARLINGTON 67

Teryn Gardner played hero.

The Mead junior buried a clutch 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to fully erase a deficit that had hovered between 10 and 13 points for most of the second half, then she scooped in the game-winning shot while being fouled in the Panthers’ win over Arlington in the third-fifth place game.

With just over two and a half minutes to go, Mead (21-4) looked done. Arlington (22-4) made 3-pointers when needed and built the largest lead of the game at 63-47 midway into the final eight minutes.

The Panthers then proceeded to end the game on an almost unbelievable 22-4 run. A steal and runout basket from Brynn Smith got Mead within three, 66-63, with 50 seconds to go.

Mead then forced a 30-second shot clock violation. With just over 18 seconds left, the Panthers brought the ball down the floor, ran Gardner under the basket and out the right side behind a double screen.

She took the pass and buried a 24-footer to tie the game at 66-66 with 10 seconds left. After a foul, Samara Morrow made one of two free throws for Arlington, then with 7.4 seconds remaining Mead raced down the floor gave the ball again to Gardner who got to the free throw line and scooped a shot to the rim while being fouled.

The shot went in with 0.7 seconds left and made the free throw for the final score.

“We set up plays to get me open and my teammates came in, got it to me and we got the open shot,” Gardner said. “And I knocked them down. We fought back to the end and it was just awesome.”

FINAL: No. 4 Mead 69, No. 2 Arlington 67.

Teryn Gardner with the game-winner for the Panthers to earn mead the Class 3A third-place trophy. pic.twitter.com/BUeBfJZVWE
— Lauren Smith (@smithlm12) March 4, 2023

Fourth-sixth place

NO. 6 STANWOOD 52, NO. 5 LINCOLN OF TACOMA 45