CENTRALIA — Massive-game expertise ready the Seton Catholic boys basketball staff for an environment like Saturday.
The reigning Class 1A District 4 champions, who positioned sixth ultimately 12 months’s 1A state event for the primary time in program historical past, efficiently defended their district title with a 54-46 win over Trico League foe Fort Vancouver in a packed Centralia Excessive Faculty gymnasium.
After Seton Catholic breezed by two district playoff video games to achieve the championship, Fort Vancouver gave the Cougars a much-needed take a look at.
The Trappers, who clinched their first state event berth since 1990 earlier this week, led for almost all of the primary half, holding a high-powered Cougars offense to seven factors within the opening quarter. Seton wasn’t fazed.
“Congrats to Fort for getting here, the history that they went through, it’s a really solid team,” Seton Catholic coach Donald Wilson stated. “I think (our) experience showed. We didn’t get rattled. We’ve been here before. We haven’t played too many games from behind, but it’s a couple shots, a couple rebounds that got us … guys just settled into the game.”
5 straight factors from senior Tyler Tran halfway by the second quarter fired up the Cougars and gave them their first lead at 18-15.
The Trappers continued to hold round properly into the second half, with a tip-in basket from Leighton Livengood knotting the sport at 31-31 with two-and-a-half minutes left within the third quarter.
The Cougars made their transfer to shut the quarter with a Lance Lee layup and a Brady Angelo 3-pointer to begin the fourth.
Then, the Cougars put the ball within the arms of Kaiden Wilson, the Trico League Participant of the 12 months, who scored 11 straight factors within the fourth to push Seton throughout the end line.
Wilson completed with a game-high 23 factors, whereas seniors Angelo and Tran scored 11 and eight factors, respectively.
“This one feels good, especially going back-to-back with all the seniors on the team knowing this is going to be the best team to ever lead Seton,” Kaiden Wilson stated.
The Cougars received their fifteenth straight sport of the season, and remained undefeated in opposition to Trico League groups with an ideal 18-0 mark within the common season and playoffs. However additionally they welcomed the problem they confronted Saturday from the Trappers — led by Livengood’s 15 factors — figuring out it’ll put together them for state.
“It’s always tough to have a challenge,” Kaiden Wilson stated, “because at the dome, it’s a little different in there.”
Previous to final season’s district championship and state playoff run on the Yakima Valley SunDome, resulting in this system’s first state trophy, the Cougars had the advantage of flying considerably below the radar as an upstart program.
They didn’t have that luxurious this season. Success comes with heightened expectations, however the Cougars have responded properly to their newfound place, Donald Wilson stated.
“When you’ve got so many expectations you’ve got to live up to the expectations, and I think they handled that well as a group,” Donald Wilson stated. “We’ve always talked about it — the culture here is player-led. Those guys understand how to play the game the right way. They’re connected. So, it’s a fun group to coach, it’s a fun group to be around.”
SETON CATHOLIC 54, FORT VANCOUVER 46
FORT VANCOUVER (17-6) — Liam Cvitkovich 6, Samuel Howard 0, Isaiah Barajas 10, Isaiah Gonzalez 8, Josiah Jointer 7, Allen Salazar 0, Bernardo Castro 0, Leighton Livengood 15. Totals 18 (3) 7-12 46.
SETON CATHOLIC (18-5) — Tyler Tran 8, Mason Glassmire 6, Brady Angelo 11, Rico George 2, Lance Lee 4, Kaiden Wilson 23, Ben Deochand 0. Totals 17 (9) 11-14 54.
Fort Vancouver 13 8 12 13—46
Seton Catholic 7 17 14 16—54