MOUNTLAKE TERRACE
It was heartbreak for King’s, euphoria for Vashon Island in an overtime thriller in a Northwest/West Central Bi-district winner-to-state game at Mountlake Terrace High School Feb. 22.
John Gage’s 3-pointer from the top of the key as time ran out gave Vashon Island its first lead, a 58-56 win, and a berth to state.
“Man, if he gets an open look, it’s good stuff,” Vashon Island coach Andy Sears said.
The loss ended a 15-game winning streak for King’s.
Vashon entered the fourth quarter down by eight, but outscored the Knights 14-6 in the period to force the extra time.
“We had to stop their transition offense,” Gage said. “We just had to keep our hands up.”
The Pirates’ 6-foot-7 forward Charlie Hoffman banked in a shot and was fouled to tie it at 50 with 1:35 left in regulation. He missed the free throw, and King’s held for one shot. Erich Fuhlendorf, who finished with a game-high 24 points, missed a jumper at the buzzer.
In the overtime, Nick Hardy started things off with his third 3-pointer for King’s.
With 41 seconds left, Fuhlendorf hit a pair of free throws to put King’s up 56-52.
But Justin Calhoun answered for Vashon with his third 3-pointer to cut the lead to one with 28 seconds left.
King’s Bryan Ayers was fouled but missed the front end of a one-and-one. King’s got a stop when Dylan O’Neil blocked a shot by a driving Max Burnham. Karl Clocksin was fouled immediately, but missed both shots of a double-bonus. Ayers almost had a steal in the backcourt but the ball went out off him, and that left 10 seconds for the Pirates to work with.
The Pirates kicked the ball out to the 6-foot, 9-inch Gage, he buried a 20-footer and the Vashon bench and fans swarmed the court.
King’s made only 3-of-7 free throws in the overtime and 11-of-21 for the game. Hardy’s 3-pointer was the Knights only field goal attempt in the extra period.
“You lose when you don’t make them,” King’s coach Bill Liley said of the free throws. “We had an opportunity to win that game.”
Vashon wasn’t any better from the line, making only 9-of-20 foul shots.
Vashon is a young team with only one senior and will be tough to beat the next two years, Liley said.
“I’m shocked,” Sears said. “They played way above themselves.”
King’s committed 12 turnovers, seven of them in the second half and overtime.
“We made mistakes and it hurt us,” O’Neil said.
Vashon made 20-of-48 field goals for 42 percent while King’s made 21-of-45 field goals for 47 percent.
King’s led by as many as 15 points in the first half with Fuhlendorf scoring 15 of his points in the half.
Gage, who finished with nine points and came in averaging 17, did not score in the first half.
“They did a good job fronting Gage, not letting him get the ball,” Sears said.
Point guards Ayers and Alex Mar each had several uncharacteristic turnovers in the second half as Vashon made its run.
“It was tough to see them struggle,” Liley said. “They’ve been solid for us all year.”
Charles Wright Academy defeated Vashon for the bi-district championship, 47-38 Feb. 23, to earn the No. 1 seed to state.
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