'Under control' Zoom Diallo's shot clock-beating play leads No. 5 Curtis to 4A SPSL win over fourth-ranked Olympia

UNIVERSITY PLACE - In the three decades Tim Kelly has coached boys basketball in Washington, he says he's never had a player quite like sophomore Zoom Diallo.

Maybe it's because the talented point guard at Curtis High School seems like he is playing a fast sport in slow motion.

"The No. 1 thing, he plays under control," Kelly said. "He doesn't get sped up or riled up."

Diallo scored 21 points, but it was his assist to Cinque Maxwell for an easy bucket with 36.8 seconds to go that sewed up the the fifth-ranked Vikings' 51-44 victory over No. 4 Olympia in 4A SPSL crossover action.

Parker Gerrits also had 21 points for the Bears, who rallied from a 17-point first-half deficit to cut it to 45-44 on Gerrits' 3-pointer with 1:56 to go.

"I challenged some guys at halftime to win some one-on-one wars, and they started doing that … and it changed the complexion of the game a little bit," Bears coach John Kiley said.

All visiting Olympia needed was a stop, even after Diallo sank four free throws to give Curtis a 47-44 lead.

At the top of the key, and the shot clock winding down to six seconds to go, Diallo made a move into the lane - and drew a crowd. He made a bounce pass to a waiting Maxwell on the right side of the lane, and the junior converted the easy layup.

"(Diallo) has basketball IQ," Kelly said. "He sees everything. He has a good feel ... for traffic around him."

Olympia missed its final four field-goal attempts, and got no closer the rest of the way.

When asked if Diallo reminded him of a player he had in his days at Lincoln of Tacoma, or even at Curtis, Kelly said no. "He is different," the coach said.

Stylistically, Kelly said the guard plays a little like former Lincoln standout Leonard White.

"But (Diallo) is more athletic," Kelly said.

(Featured photo by Todd Milles)