Union strings together late comeback to end Kentridge's season in bi-district consolation game

KENT, Wash. – It’s a little unfair that a matchup between two of Class 4A’s top-10 teams can end with one going home for the season.

Union, the No. 10-ranked team in 4A, rallied from an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit to eliminate eighth-ranked Kentridge, 55-47, on Wednesday night in a 4A NPSL/Greater St. Helen’s League loser-out district game at Kentridge High School.

The loss hit hard for the Chargers (17-6) as careers ended abruptly for 10 seniors and longtime coach Dave Jamison. 

Jamison made it known before the season that he was retiring after 35 years of coaching, the last 23 of which were guiding Kentridge.

“Our effort was there … we wanted it bad,” said Chargers' forward Alex Conner, one of 10 seniors who played his final high school game. “We didn’t stick to the game plan. We got kind of flustered and got out of our game and we kinda just tried to force things that weren’t there.”

Now, that means Jamison’s days of roaming the sidelines for the Chargers are over. The low-key, pragmatic coach will quietly move on.

“I don’t even think about [this being the final game], and every year it’s about the kids,” said Jamison, who was named to the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2015. “Usually, I have another team to think about next year. Tomorrow, I’ll be a little empty, but I always am when the season ends.”

Jamison finished his high-school coaching career with 415-220 record for a .654 win percentage.

“It was about [the players’] season and my job is to get them as far as they can go,” said Jamison, whose best finish was a runner-up in 4A to Ferris of Spokane in 2007 by a 68-61 score in double overtime. “We didn’t accomplish that goal, so that will always be a rough spot for me. I thought they were coachable and the effort was there.

“We had things going our way there in the third quarter. I thought [if] we’d just kept grinding a little bit, but we got away from that.”

The Titans, facing a 43-35 deficit after the Chargers’ Jamari Harris hit on a drive with 7:14 left in the game, ended a strong defensive game on a 20-4 run. Kentridge failed to score in the final 4 minutes, 12 seconds and turned the ball over four times in the closing 3:38.

“We just tried to get stops at the end and we liked the shots we were getting,” Union coach Blake Conley said. “And luckily, they fell in the last few minutes.”

Union senior Yanni Fassilis finished with 22 points, sophomore Kody Holcomb added 12 and junior Tucker Dunseth had 11.

The Titans perked up from long range in the fourth quarter as Holcomb drilled a pair of momentum-swinging 3-pointers and Evan Manville helped slam the door with another trey.

Holcomb rained in a three-pointer with 6:56 left in the game to trim the Chargers’ lead to 43-38 then he hit another to cut the gap to 45-43 at the 4:57 mark. Manville’s trifecta gave Union breathing room at 52-47 with 1:22 to go.

Ninth-seeded Union (17-6) hosts No. 12 seed Emerald Ridge (11-13) on Friday. The winner of that game would earn a state berth, leaving the loser with one last chance at state.

Conley knew he’d face a well-coached, well-drilled team to advance on Wednesday.

“We knew for a month-and-a-half, once we lost our second game in league, that we needed to make a trip to Kentridge or Tahoma,” Conley said. “It’s unfortunate, because these are two really good teams that could continue. That’s a really good team to exit this early, for sure.”

Conley, in his 10th year at Union, almost felt bad about ending Jamison’s career and has the utmost respect for the outgoing coach.

“What a great career he’s had,” Conley said. “It’s unfortunate to see him coach his last game, but 23 years at the same school, that’s so impressive. Also, all the great teams he’s had and all the success he’s had. He’s not just that. He’s a class act."

“The guy, he’s kind. He coaches the right way. It’s an honor to be on the other side and it was the first time he’s ever played Union in all of his coaching and the first time we’ve gone against each other.”

Conner and fellow senior Dorian Thomas led Kentridge with 14 points apiece, all on the interior, as the Union zone stifled the Chargers’ offensive attack most of the night.

Conner knew it was going to be a different night during pre-game when Jamison showed some rare emotion in front of the team.

“This was a tough one,” Conner said. “Before the game, Coach Jamison was showing more emotion than he ever has. I can’t imagine how this must feel for him. I’ve never seen him get choked up like he did.

“We wanted to come out here and give it our all for him.”