Mariner boys win first state game in 10 years

Published 12:19 pm Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Mariner boys basketball team got King Kong off its back Thursday morning, winning a game at the state tournament for the first time in 10 years.

Senior Demascus Purnell scored two key layups in the final 2:05 to help Mariner to 37-32 victory over Roosevelt in the consolation round of the Class 4A state tournament in the Tacoma Dome. The Maruaders had been 0-11 in Class 4A state tourney games prior to Thursday’s game.

The win keeps Mariner (20-5) in the hunt for a fifth-place trophy.

Purnell and Michael Minor each had nine points for the Marauders, who face Redmond on Friday in a loser-out game.