LYNNWOOD — Glacier Peak finally got the better of Meadowdale on the basketball court.
Tanner Southard, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, curled off a solid Dylan Manning screen and buried a 16-foot jump shot with 3 seconds remaining on the clock to give Glacier Peak a 49-47 win over Meadowdale Thursday night at Meadowdale High School.
Southard finished with 11 points for the Grizzlies, who captured the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed to next week’s 3A District 1 tournament with the win, but scored just two points in the second half.
It was a big two points for the Grizzlies.
“I’m not surprised Tanner made that shot,” Glacier Peak head coach Brian Hunter said. “He’s such a competitor.”
Senior guard Drew Cummins, Glacier Peak’s leading scorer with 12 points, advanced the ball up the court with 13 seconds left after Meadowdale’s Matt Beucherie tied the score at 47-47 by hitting one of two free throws. Cummins found Southard, headed for the top of the key after shedding his defender, and passed off to the junior who drained the jumper unmolested.
Meadowdale’s Sam Werner missed a desperation 3-pointer from the corner.
“I was shooting well in the first half, but had a hard time in the second half,” Southard said. “I knew I had to pull it.”
Meadowdale (16-5 overall) beat Glacier Peak (16-5) twice during the regular season by a combined total of four points.
The Mavericks held onto a slim lead from 2 minutes, 1 second remaining in the first quarter until the end of the third when Jack Bonner hit an alley-oop layin at the buzzer to give Glacier Peak a 37-36 lead.
Bonner scored 10 points for the Grizzlies, who overcame a tremendous effort inside by Meadowdale’s Connor Hamlett.
Hamlett, an Oregon State University football recruit, battled for inside baskets and finished with a game-high 26 points, while connecting on 4-of-7 free throws. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound post is averaging 18.5 points per game for Meadowdale.
“The backside help wasn’t there,” Southard said of the Grizzlies attempts to try and contain Hamlett, “and he’s just a strong, smart player.”
“He’s been doing it all year,” Meadowdale head coach Chad McGuire added. “He’s just a hard worker in there and he played well.”
Werner chipped in with 12 points for Meadowdale, the No. 2 seed from Wesco to the district tournament.
Glacier Peak opens the district tournament at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when it plays host to Wesco No. 5 seed Everett in the first round.
Meadowdale hosts the No. 3 seed from the Northwest League on the same day.
The two squads are on opposite portions of the bracket and could meet again in the district championship game on March 3.
“We competed,” Hunter said of the victory. “We got a win tonight, but they’re (Meadowdale) definitely the team you have to beat to get where you want to get.
“You want to still play at a high level going into districts and there’s no better way than playing Meadowdale.”
At Meadowdale H.S.
Glacier Peak13111312—49
Meadowdale15111011—47
Glacier Peak—Persha 8, Pervier 4, Kiser 2, Pederson 2, Cummins 2, Southard 11, Bonner 10, Manning 0. Meadowdale—Tallman 4, Beucherie 3, Hamlett 26, Neff-Warner 2, Werner 12, Buck 0, Dooley 0, Linton 0. 3-pointers—Werner 2, Persha 2, Southard 1. Records—Glacier Peak 16-5 overall. Meadowdale 16-5.
Shorecrest 59, Lynnwood 33
At Meadowdale, Jordan Diel scored 19 points and Travis Hake added 11 (nine in the first quarter) as Shorecrest captured the Western Conference No. 3 seed to the 3A District 1 tournament. Diel connected on four 3-pointers and Hake made three to help the Scots beat Lynnwood with an up-tempo start. The Royals, playing without 6-foot-3 junior Anthony Edwards, lost post Simi Fajemisin following an intentional foul on a Shorecrest player with 2:28 remaining in the third quarter and the Scots ahead 40-19. Fajemisin, a University of San Diego recruit scored 13 points for Lynnwood, the No. 4 seed to next week’s district tournament.
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