Key Highlights
- The defensive gameplan coming into Saturday night’s Class 4A state tournament regional game at Bellevue College, in fact, was to limit open looks for the Kangs from deep. Sometimes plans go awry. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLake Washington knocked down eight 3-pointers in the second half and 11 total, running away from Puyallup, 72-56.“We were trying to limit threes,” Puyallup senior forward Will Nasinec said.
- “We had a hard time with that.”Credit to Lake Washington’s offense, a methodical system of top-of-key screens and backdoors designed to create mismatches and too often on Saturday — wide-open shots.“You’ve gotta give them credit, they’re really good at what they do,” Puyallup coach Kevin Olson said. Lake Washington, the No.
- 3 seed in the state tournament, has several players capable of putting the ball in the hoop from anywhere on the floor. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScrappy junior guard Jayden Hunt scored a game-high 24 points, forward Mateo Cummings scored 20 and hit four 3-pointers and guard Hunter Phipps scored 19, knocking down four 3-pointers in the second, three of which came in quick succession to bury Puyallup.“We started gambling, not making good decisions, too many open shots and they’re a great shooting team,” Nasinec said. Nasinec was the bright spot for sixth-seeded Puyallup, pouring in a team-high 23 points.“Will’s a tremendous player and doing a great job but we can’t stand around and watch,” Olson said.
- “There were some opportunities for us to cut to the basket, move around, create some options for him to pass to.
- We didn’t get that done.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMason Sonntag added 10 for the Vikings but it was otherwise tough sledding for the Puyallup offense. It’s not all bad news.
