03.04.07
Reflections on 2007 State 1A hoops
I spent the last two days getting my fill of high school basketball while covering the Class 1A boys and girls tournaments at the Yakima SunDome. Only two teams go home happy and the other 30 reflect on what might have been. The latter was the case for the King’s girls and boys teams from Shoreline that I was here to cover. Both came into the tournament considered contenders for the title. The King’s girls cruised into the championship game and led early against three-time defending champion Colfax in the final. But Colfax’s intense press got them back in the game, and the Bulldogs finally took the lead after a steal and foul with 24 seconds to left. King’s had a chance to get it back but a pair of missed free throws with 11 seconds left allowed Colfax to close it out and claim an unprecedented fourth consecutive state title. No team in any classification in basketball has accomplished that feat. King’s, the winners of the last two state 2A titles, battled but in the end fell short 31-28 in a game marked by physical play and defense.
The King’s boys were knocked out of the consolation bracket by Bellevue Christian and did not bring home a trophy.
Yakima has hosted these tournaments for years and the tournament staff runs a tight ship. The games on championship Saturday were a bit behind schedule but Yakima is still one of the best state tournament sites if you’re a member of the media or a fan.
On my way to SunDome, I stopped at a taco trailer, something you don’t see a lot in the Seattle area. A burrito and drink for $5 is a good deal and sure beats Taco Bell. I also noticed in the neighborhood between downtown and the SunDome quite a few young ballers, both boys and girls, many of them Hispanic, dribbling basketballs down the streets. Maybe a few of them will be playing in the SunDome someday at state.
