By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last night on Senior Night, the Eastside Catholic Crusaders hosted the Rainier Beach Vikings in a highly anticipated Metro League matchup. Both teams came into the game ready to compete, but it was Rainier Beach who came out with energy and intensity, eventually building a lead the Crusaders could not overcome.
Eastside Catholic won the tip, and quickly found their rhythm. The Crusader Tytan McNeal hit an early three-point shot to put his team on the board first, but Viking Achilles Reyna answered with two points to make the score 3–2 in favor of Eastside Catholic. Moments later, Rainier Beach’s Tyran Stokes delivered a huge block against Eastside Catholic’s Yabi Aklog, firing up his teammates and the crowd. However, Aklog responded with a putback to push the Crusaders’ lead to 5–2.
The pace was fast in the opening minutes, with both teams trading baskets up and down the court. The Viking Wes Armstrong added a putback to even the score at 8–8, and McNeal knocked down one of two free throws to push Eastside Catholic ahead 9–8. Stokes then took control for Rainier Beach, scoring at the line and on a basket in transition to give the Vikings a 12–9 lead. On the defensive end, Armstrong swatted away a shot by the Crusader Anthony Williams, that lit up the Viking fans section.
Rainier Beach continued to build momentum with steals and quick scores from Kam Babbs and Marques Ili-Meneese, pushing the score to 16–11. In the final minute of the first quarter, the Vikings’ Knowledge Wright converted a layup off of a steal to extend Rainier Beach’s lead to 18–11. Eastside Catholic’s Micah Rouson responded with a three-point shot to cut the Vikings lead to 18-14, but Wright answered with another basket for Rainier Beach. Aklog followed with two free throws in the closing seconds, as the quarter came to a close with Rainier Beach leading 20–16.
Rainier Beach started the second quarter with the ball but quickly turned it over, allowing Williams to dart down the court for a dunk and make the score 20-18. Stokes checked back in to the game and responded immediately with a dunk to put Beach up 22-18, but McNeal answered right back making the score 20-22.
Wright then added two free throws for the Vikings, while Aklog’s putback kept the game close at 22-24. Stokes added two more free throws, and Micah Ili-Meneese contributed back-to-back layups, and a putback to give Rainier Beach a 32-25 lead.
Eastside Catholic then called a timeout to regroup, and came out firing as Steven Sun hit a three-point shot, Aklog blocked a shot, and Rouson scored, narrowing that gap to 32-30. The Crusaders played great defense and were rebounding very well. Eastside Catholic tied the game at 32, after a steal by Dash Lamebull-Ingram, and a pair of free throws by Sun.
Both teams again continued to trade quick baskets, Stokes and Yabi battled for rebounds, and McNeal and Rouson made crucial three-point shots and putbacks. With 20 seconds left in the quarter, Rouson scored again, as the Crusaders took a 44-38 halftime lead. Leaving the score at 42-38, in favor of Eastside Catholic.
Rainier Beach opened the third quarter with possession, but lost control of the ball and McNeal went to the line and made two free throws to extend the lead to 46-38. Stokes quickly responded with two free throws and a dunk to cut the deficit to 46-42. Aklog responded at the line for Eastside, making two free throws to extend the Crusaders lead to 48-42, but Stokes stayed aggressive, scoring again as Beach chipped away at the Crusaders slight lead.
Micah Ili-Meneese added two points for the Vikings, and Stokes tied the game at 48–48 before Rainier Beach slowly took over. With the home crowd growing louder, Wright drove the lane for a layup to give the Vikings a 50–48 lead. Armstrong followed with two more points, and Stokes went to the line on consecutive possessions to stretch the lead to 56–48.
After an Eastside timeout and missed free throws from Williams, Beach kept attacking, as Wright quickly made a contested shot under the rim, making the score 58-48. Stokes then picked up his third foul, sending Williams to the line where he converted one of two points, bringing the score to 58-49., Babbs would get the crowd going with a dunk, as the Vikings built a 12-point lead at 62-50.
During the next couple of possessions, both Williams and Wright converted and-one opportunities, but the Vikings still led 65–53. Even though Rouson hit a timely three-point shot near the end of the third quarter, Rainier Beach’s Wright and Micah Ili-Meneese answered with baskets of their own, and the Vikings headed into the fourth quarter with a comfortable 71–55 lead.
Eastside Catholic started the fourth quarter with possession, but Rainier Beach immediately added to its lead as Micah Ili-Meneese scored inside to make it 73-55. Aklog then missed two free throws, and although Micah Ili-Meneese briefly lost the ball after a steal, Beach continued to dominate as Wright knocked down a three-point shote to push the lead to 76-55.
After the shot by Wright, the gym immediately filled with chants from the Rainier Beach crowd saying, “We want 30,” as the game was quickly getting out of hand for the Crusaders.
Despite the noise, McNeal went to the line and converted two free throws, making the score 76-57.
With six minutes remaining in the final quarter, Stokes re-entered the game as the chant grew louder. Rainier Beach stayed aggressive. Babbs converted one point from the line, KJ Hightower finished a layup, and after a timeout, Micah Ili-Meneese scored again to stretch the lead to 81–57.
For the Crusaders, Aklog hit two free throws, but Armstrong answered immediately with a bucket. Stokes took control down the stretch, converting on multiple trips to the free-throw line before adding both a dunk and a layup to stretch the Vikings’ lead to 92–60 with three minutes left.
Eastside managed to add a few late free throws and a layup, but Beach remained strong, closing the game with another basket from Micah Ili-Meneese, a block from Reyna, and calmly running out the clock to seal a 94-67 win.
After the game, Rainier Beach assistant head coach Jamal Crawford said it was a great team win.
“It was a great win. Everybody contributed tonight. Our leader, coach Mike wasn’t feeling well, but he is the goat and we try to hold him down,” said Crawford. “Obviously we are heavy hearts right now, but we just try to be as together as we can.”
Photos/Aaron Allen
