Last-second shot lifts Kentwood past Sumner, clinching spot in WIAA 4A regional basketball round
SUMNER, Wash. - Tenth-ranked Kentwood wanted redemption.
And the Conquerors picked the perfect time to find it - in the final seconds of a Class 4A District 3/4 boys basketball showdown at No. 7 Sumner.
Sophomore Brandon Tagle drove the length of the court for the game-winning layin with 1.6 seconds remaining, and Kentwood shocked the 4A SPSL champions, 58-57, on Saturday night.
Sumner's long inbounds pass from the backcourt was swatted away, and Kentwood celebrated the moment that not only sent the No. 3 team from the 4A NPSL into the district semifinals, but also locked up a spot in the WIAA regional round.
Blake Stempniak tied the game, 52-52, on a deep 3-pointer with eight seconds to go in regulation for the Conquerors.
"We really wanted that moment," Kentwood boys coach Blake Solomon said.
Here are three takeaways from the Kentwood-Sumner game:
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BRANDON TAGLE FOR THE WIN
After Sumner missed both free throws with 9.8 seconds to go, it was Brandon Tagle's turn to make a play to win it for the Conquerors.
Initially, Solomon called a play in the team's last huddle. But as Tagle made his way deliberately up the court as precious seconds ticked off the clock, the coach knew the outcome was in his point guard's hands.
"(The called play) was supposed to go to the other (left) side," Solomon said. "Luckily, we had everybody over there, so this side was open.
"When I saw him about halfcourt with four seconds (to go), I said he needs to do it himself."
In almost a hesitation, Tagle slid by two defenders, executed a perfect Euro-step move and laid the ball off the glass for the clinching field goal.
"He is very smart, and very good - and he knows what to do," Solomon said.
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SUMNER HAS TO REGROUP
It was a tough-to-swallow defeat - one that Spartans' first-year coach Bill Liley compared to a 1A state-tournament loss that his old team - King's - suffered when it was the No. 1 team in the state.
There were a couple of times the Spartans threatened to break out to a double-digit lead, only to see Kentwood (mainly Corey Tita, who had a game-high 27 points) hit crucial shots to stay in it.
Jalen Hyppa led Sumner with 21 points - 16 coming in the second half in overtime. His 3-pointer put the Spartans up 57-54 with 37 seconds to go.
But the defense gave up a Tagle bucket on the other end with 11 seconds remaining - and could not make free throws to keep this one from getting away.
"Blake is a great coach … and does a nice job with his kids. They were prepared," Liley said. "I felt we were prepared, and put ourselves in good position to win this baseball game. But you’ve got to make free throws and get stops down the stench, and we didn’t do enough of either.
With its season on the line, Sumner plays Skyview in a loser -out consolation game next week.
"As tough as this loss was, it isn’t big enough to break us," Liley said.
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4A NPSL IS DISTRICT KING
With 4A NPSL champion Tahoma (60-47 win over Emerald Ridge) and runner-up Federal Way (54-43 win at Puyallup) both opening-round winners by double-digit margins, Kentwood's win meant three teams from that league are in the district's final four.
The Conquerors will face Olympia next week for a post in the district finals.
"We do have a good league. It is tough. It prepared us well. Playing Tahoma and Federal Way is no joke," Solomon said.
"It prepared us for stuff like this, environments like this."
