By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last night, the Franklin Quakers punched their ticket to the district tournament for the first time in six years, as they used a late-game rally to defeat Ballard 53-47.
Ballard won the opening tip but immediately turned the ball over, and Christian Fisher scored the game’s first basket for Franklin. Lincoln Young answered with a fadeaway jumper to spark an early Ballard run. After a shot clock violation by Franklin, the Beavers extended their lead to 6-2 on a basket and two free throws by Nolan Larson, prompting a Franklin timeout with 5:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Fisher helped the Quakers regroup, scoring again to cut into the deficit, but Larson responded with a putback to make it 7-4. Defensive intensity increased on both ends, highlighted by blocks from Kamal Barre and Larson. Ballard then found its rhythm from beyond the arc. Caz Cole knocked down a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 10-4, and Gavin Klassen-Matuska followed with another 3 to push the advantage to 13-6.
Franklin responded late in the quarter. Fisher attacked the rim, and Jow Traore hit a fadeaway jumper as the Quakers closed on a 6-0 run to trim the deficit to 13-12 at the end of the first.
The second quarter remained tight and physical. Franklin briefly took its first lead when Lucas Sudduth scored to make it 14-13, but Klassen-Matuska answered with an open layup. The teams traded baskets through the middle stretch, with Young adding two points to give Ballard a 19-16 edge. Barre countered with a basket to narrow it to 19-18.
Young struck again late in the half, and strong defensive plays from Fisher and Ballard’s Noah Estey kept the intensity high. Ballard carried a 21-18 lead into halftime.
Ballard inbounded at half court to begin the second half, but Franklin came out firing with back-to-back baskets to take a 22-21 lead. Fisher recorded a steal and was fouled, leading to a sideline inbounds play. Barre converted an and-one opportunity but missed the free throw, giving the Quakers a 24-21 advantage.
Franklin continued to apply pressure and forced another turnover and before going a 6-0 run, highlighted by Barre powering through contact for another and-one. Though he missed the free throw, the momentum had shifted.
Ballard answered quickly. Larson made two free throws to tie the game at 24-24, prompting a full timeout by the Beavers with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter. Out of the break, Larson added another basket to give Ballard a 25-24 lead.
Franklin responded with a 3-pointer from Sudduth as part of a 5-0 run to take a 29-25 advantage. But Ballard closed the quarter strong. Cole hit another 3, Klassen-Matuska added a free throw, and Young scored twice in the final minute as the Beavers finished on an 8-2 run to reclaim a 35-32 lead entering the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter, Barre missed an and-one opportunity, and Klassen-Matuska converted his own three-point play to swing momentum back to Ballard. The teams traded steals and free throws in a frantic stretch, with Fisher grabbing a steal and finishing a layup before adding a floater to keep Franklin within two at 44-42.
Klassen-Matuska scored again to make it 46-42 but fouled out shortly after Fisher completed a crucial and-one to cut the deficit to one. After a Franklin timeout with 2:14 remaining and a missed buzzer-beater attempt by Ballard, the final minute belonged to the Quakers. Barre added a basket to give Franklin a 47-46 lead, and Fisher calmly made two free throws to extend the advantage. Despite late free throws by Ballard, Franklin secured the victory in the closing seconds to seal a hard-fought 53-47 win.
After the game, Franklin head coach Jamaal Thomas said the victory was meaningful.
“Tonight was a great win for the Franklin family! It has been 6 years since we have been to districts, so this is a big moment for us,” said Thomas. “Our team has been through a lot of ups and downs this season on and off of the court, but I am so proud of my guys, they are locked in.”
Photos/Aaron Allen
