By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last night in round two of the 3A boys state basketball tournament, the Rainier Beach Vikings squared off against the Bellevue Wolverines in a heavyweight showdown at a sold-out arena gym at Bellevue College. With a trip to the quarterfinals on the line, both teams brought energy from the opening tip.
Rainier Beach controlled the start, winning the tip and getting on the board first as Tyran Stokes quickly scored the first two points of the night. Bellevue struggled on its opening possession with a turnover, but Jackson Skaggs stripped the ball away from a Rainier Beach player and dashed down the court for a layup to tie the game at 2–2. The Vikings’ Wes Armstrong answered with a basket to give Beach a 4–2 lead before an early timeout with 6:18 remaining in the first quarter.
Out of the break, Rainier Beach’s JJ Crawford delivered a huge block on Nick Norrah that seemed to energize the Vikings. However, Norrah regrouped and knocked down a three-point shot, sparking a 7–0 run by Bellevue. The Wolverines surged ahead 9–4 before Rainier Beach answered with a 7–0 run of its own. Achilles Reyna converted a three-point play, and both Reyna and Stokes threw down dunks that electrified the crowd and gave the Vikings an 11–9 edge, forcing a Bellevue timeout with 2:37 left in the quarter.
Bellevue’s Avery Carter tied the game at 11–11 coming out of the timeout, and the teams traded baskets the rest of the period. In the closing seconds, Stokes drilled a buzzer-beating three-point shot, but it was the Wolverines that carried a slim 19–18 lead into the second quarter.
Rainier Beach started the second quarter off strong, with Kam Babbs sparking a 10–0 run that flipped the momentum of the game, as the Vikings quickly built a 28–19 lead. Bellevue’s Max Harrity ended the run with a sharp three-point shot, trimming the deficit to 28–22, but the Vikings were far from finished. Stokes and Babbs fueled another 5–0 run, highlighted by Babbs’ second dunk of the quarter, as the Vikings stretched their lead to 33–22.
However, Bellevue continued to compete. Skaggs and Norrah combined for a quick 7–0 run, cutting the Vikings’ lead to 33–29. As the Wolverines ramped up their defensive pressure and forced Rainier Beach to execute its offense deep into the shot clock, Stokes rose to the occasion, knocking down a three-point shot just before the buzzer to extend the lead to 36–29.
The Vikings closed the half strong. Crawford converted a three-point play, Micah Ili-Meneese added a layup, and though Trevin King responded with a jumper for Bellevue, Rainier Beach remained in control. With 30 seconds left, Stokes calmly dribbled down the clock before exploding to the rim for a powerful dunk with five seconds remaining, sending the Vikings into halftime with a commanding 43–31 advantage.
Bellevue came out firing in the third quarter, as Skaggs hit a three-point shot to cut the deficit to 43–34. The fast pace of the game continued, as Stokes and Bellevue’s Eduardo Molina traded baskets early. But the Vikings quickly reminded everyone why they earned the No. 1 seed. A surge highlighted by three consecutive dunks from Micah Ili-Meneese, Crawford and Stokes pushed the Vikings’ lead to 53–36 and shifted the momentum firmly back to Rainier Beach.
The Wolverines continued to compete. Molina and Skaggs combined for three three-point shots during the quarter, keeping Bellevue within striking distance. Crawford and Reyna countered with key baskets to maintain the cushion. In the final minute of the third quarter, Crawford and Molina exchanged three-point shots, and Rainier Beach entered the fourth quarter leading 65–53.
The Vikings took control for good in the final period, as they outscored Bellevue 25–16 during the quarter. The Wolverines struggled with turnovers, shot clock violations and traveling violations as Rainier Beach, known as the Beach Boyz, increased its defensive pressure. Still, Norrah, Skaggs and Molina remained aggressive, attacking the rim and knocking down perimeter shots in an effort to spark a comeback.
After a three-point shot by Skaggs cut the score to 71–60, Rainier Beach head coach Mike Bethea called a timeout with 4:52 remaining. The break proved effective. Stokes immediately scored off the glass, and Louis Harris added a free throw to stretch the Vikings’ lead to 74–60.
Moments later, Stokes picked up his first two fouls of the night just seconds apart, sparking visible frustration on the court, but he refused to let it slow him down. He quickly responded with a tough, contested layup, prompting Bellevue to call a timeout with 2:43 remaining in an effort to halt his momentum. But the break did not help, as Stokes went right back to work, coming up with a steal that led to another dunk to push the lead to 78–62.
Bellevue made one final push with a brief 5–0 run fueled by Norrah and Molina, cutting the deficit to 78–67. Norrah added two free throws as the clock wound down, but Rainier Beach went on a 10–0 run to put the game firmly out of reach.
In the final minute, Rainier Beach’s defense overwhelmed Bellevue, piling up steals and keeping the ball out of the Wolverines’ hands. The Vikings capped the night with a flurry of highlight-reel dunks, beginning with one from Babbs, followed by a Hightower assist to Stokes for a windmill slam that made it 88–69. The final sequence was the most electrifying of all. With five seconds remaining and Bellevue’s defenders already drifting toward the bench, Stokes calmly dribbled up the floor and slipped a between-the-legs pass to Crawford, who then threw it midair to Babbs for a behind-the-back dunk that sealed the 90–69 victory over Bellevue.
Rainier Beach was led by Stokes, who finished with 29 points and six dunks in a dominant performance. Bellevue was led by Skaggs, who scored 19 points in the loss.
Photos/Tyler Artis
