The Vikings hit only 13 of 28 from the line, but they still manage to knock off the Timberwolves.
TACOMA – Don’t judge Puyallup by Wednesday’s box score.
The No. 11 seed Vikings upset sixth-seeded Jackson 56-50 in a Class 4A boys state tournament loser-out matchup. On paper, it looked like Puyallup was trying to gift Jackson the game.
The Vikings were 13 of 28 from the free-throw line in the second half as the Timberwolves used fouling as a tactic to get back into a game it trailed 33-17 at halftime.
“We were bad at the free-throw line, but it’s not a concern for me going forward,” Puyallup coach Scott Campbell said. “I hope (fouling us) is used because it’s going to be a lot easier for us now.”
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The Vikings (20-7) haven’t advanced to state since 2011. Campbell believes his team just needs to get used to the depth perception and environment of playing in a dome.
Puyallup plays fourth-seeded Mount Si at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
“Not to be disrespectful to Jackson at all, but we’re not basing our team’s rank on the RPI,” Campbell said. “We don’t see ourselves as an 11-seed. We knew Jackson was a good team, but we felt we had some advantages.”
Lucky miss
The seventh-seeded Inglemoor girls played the state tournament’s first overtime game when it defeated No. 15 seed Rogers 65-54 in a Class 4A matchup Wednesday.
Senior guards Lucy Young and Jenna Troy each had layups roll off the rim in the final seconds of regulation, forcing extra play tied at 51 points each.
“They got lucky,” Young said of Rogers. “It gave us fire to keep going. … We didn’t want to go home.”
Inglemoor outscored Rogers 14-3 in overtime. Young and Troy each had 14 points in the game while Eva Taylor led with 15. The Vikings face eighth-seeded Eastlake in the quarterfinals Thursday.
Eyeing the future
Washington State assistant men’s basketball coach Ed Harris, a former Garfield High coach, and University of Washington assistant Cameron Dollar were spotted in the stands at the Tacoma Dome on Wednesday. It’s against NCAA rules for college coaches to comment on potential high-school recruits, but Battle Ground sophomore Kaden Perry had to catch their eye.
The 6-foot-9 post player had a near triple-double with 20 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks. It was in a losing effort as the eighth-seeded Tigers lost 66-54 to ninth-seeded Kentridge in a Class 4A state tourney loser-out matchup.