10 standouts from the 3A regional games at Bellevue College
The stars were out at Bellevue College on Saturday for three 3A regional games. With the WIAA’s new RPI system and regional format, all six teams advanced to next week’s 3A state tournament with the three winners advancing straight to…
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Continue ReadingThe stars were out at Bellevue College on Saturday for three 3A regional games. With the WIAA’s new RPI system and regional format, all six teams advanced to next week’s 3A state tournament with the three winners advancing straight to the quarterfinals. The other three teams will play in loser-out games in the first round of state on Wednesday.
Here were the stars from Nathan Hale, Garfield, Rainier Beach, Stanwood and West Seattle on Saturday:
Michael Porter Jr. – Nathan Hale
Porter continues to show why he’s one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation. The 6-foot-9 senior can play any position on the floor, driving to the lane, working in the paint and hitting from behind the 3-point arc. The University of Washington commit scored 39 points and grabbed 20 rebounds for Nathan Hale, which held off Rainier Beach for the second time in eight days and remained a perfect 26-0 this season.
Jaylen Nowell – Garfield
The University of Washington-bound senior led all scorers with 32 points – with 28 coming in the second half – in Garfield’s 83-76 regional win over No. 7 Stanwood. Nowell, a 6-foot-5 guard who has been a top recruit for years, added five steals to help the Bulldogs’ defense hold off a late run by the Spartans. Next up for No. 2 Garfield is the 3A state quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of Bellevue-Rainier Beach.
Kahlil Shabazz – Rainier Beach
The 5-foot-10 senior point guard looked like he was on a mission against Nathan Hale, scoring 24 points and grabbing eight steals as Shabazz did all he could to help the Vikings upset one of the best teams in the nation. Shabazz got off to a quick start with 15 points in the first two quarters to help Rainier Beach lead most of the first half. His defense also set the tone for the Vikings, whose pressure forced turnovers and caused problems for Nathan Hale throughout the game.
Jontay Porter – Nathan Hale
Jontay has continuously demonstrated that his older brother isn’t the only Porter who can ball this season (Nathan Hale also has freshman Coban Porter on its roster). The 6-foot-9 junior center added seven rebounds and two steals to go along with his 12 points as the No. 1 Raiders came from behind and topped Rainier Beach 80-71.
J’Raan Brooks – Garfield
While Nowell ran all over the court, Brooks hunkered down in the paint to help Garfield top Stanwood. Brooks netted 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and added a huge block that got the Bulldogs and their fans fired up. The 6-foot-9 junior forward returns to the Tacoma Dome as Brooks and Nowell try to help Garfield improve on last year’s third-place finish.
Quinton Borseth – Stanwood
In a tough loss, the 6-foot-4 post showed that he could be just as effective from the perimeter as the paint. Borseth, a senior, made four 3-pointers in the game and finished with a team-high 18 points as he helped Stanwood storm back to give Garfield a scare late in the teams’ regional game. Borseth added five rebounds in the game.
P.J. Fuller – Nathan Hale
One more Raider makes the list. Fuller, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, netted 16 points including some key free throws late to help Nathan Hale top Rainier Beach for the third time this season. Fuller showed the poise of an upperclassmen as he helped the Raiders come back from an 11-point deficit to keep their perfect season going heading into the 3A state tournament.
N’Keil Nelson – Rainier Beach
Even though he had to battle through a little bit of foul trouble, Nelson finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Nelson, a 6-foot-5 senior wing, wasn’t fazed or intimidated going up against top-ranked Nathan Hale. Nelson and the defending 3A champs play Bellevue next in a loser-out game on Wednesday.
AJ Martinka – Stanwood
One of several senior leaders for Stanwood, Martinka netted 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Spartans in their close loss to Garfield. Martinka drove to the basket and scored 13 of his points in the second half as Stanwood closed the gap with the Bulldogs. Martinka will need another big game when Stanwood faces Shorecrest in their state opener, a loser-out game, on Wednesday. The league rivals have split their two meetings this season, with Shorecrest winning the latest contest – the district championship – by three.
Nate Pryor – West Seattle
The Wildcats’ senior netted a game-high 21 points and also shined on defense to help lead his team to a convincing 60-38 victory over Timberline in a regional contest. The 6-foot-1 guard and his third-ranked West Seattle squad advance to the quarterfinals of the 3A state tournament with the win, where Pryor and the Wildcats will play the winner of Wilson-Capital in the double-elimination tournament.