Curtis handles Kentridge, all but assures return trip to defending Class 4A title in Tacoma Dome
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. - Kentridge has played its fair share of the top dogs in Class 4A boys basketball this season, including the top two ranked programs in Federal Way and Mount Si.
So, what makes reigning Class 4A champion Curtis so special?
Longtime Chargers coach Dave Jamison pointed to two things: Pressure and pedigree.
"Their defensive pressure is just outstanding all the time," Jamison said.
The third-ranked Vikings all but stamped a return trip to the Tacoma Dome by way of a 74-59 victory Saturday night over No. 8 Kentridge in the opening round of the West Central/Southwest bi-district tournament at Curtis High School.
Zoom Diallo led all scorers with 26 points while Cinque Maxwell added 21 points, and Tyce Paulsen had 13 for the Vikings.
Alex Conner paced the Chargers with 22 points.
"That is always the goal - to make it to the (Tacoma) Dome," Maxwell said. "Coach (Tim Kelly) said before the game, 'Everyone's playoffs are starting, but not everybody has the opportunity to clinch a state run already - and we've clinched that, so it means a lot."
Two big Curtis first-half spurts - a 13-2 run in the first quarter and an 18-3 run in the second quarter - put this game out of reach early.
Bilal El Ghalemi's corner 3-pointer capped the second run, giving the Vikings a 45-19 lead with 3:11 remaining in the first half.
But the defining sequence of the first half was Maxwell's blocked shot of Jamari Harris' layin with the Chargers in transition - which led to an easy outlet to Paulsen for an layin on the other end.
"We wanted to come out defensively and set the tone, which I thought we did," Kelly said.
Four times in the final quarter, the Chargers were able to whittle the large deficit to 13 points, but could get no closer.
Kentridge now faces battle-tested Union in a loser-out game Wednesday in Jamison's final season on the bench.
"We are on the road to the Dome - still. But it's a detour," Jamison said. "We have to play the way we did in the second half tonight."
