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Hardwood Classic: boys semifinals

Woodinville lost to Davis, 63-52, in the first 4A semifinal game.

The Falcons led 47-37 with 2:38 left in the third quarter before Davis put together a 19-3 run.

Davis looked like a different team in the last 10 minutes of the game — in the first half, the Pirates shot just 19 percent from the field. They shot 60 percent in the second half.

“They just believed in each other and they really got after it and converted on some easy baskets and three point plays, and all of a sudden you’re back in the game,” Davis head coach Eli Juarez said.

For a Woodinville team that’s the first in school history to make it to the Tacoma Dome, squandering the lead and having to play in tomorrow’s consolation game stings. But like most coaches would be, Woodinville head coach Mark Folsom had a lot of pride in what his team accomplished.

“These kids have played their hearts out,” he said. “They’ve truly shown what Woodinville basketball is all about.”

Davis guard Max Jones scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half — most coming during that 19-3 run.

“He’s a tough guard,” Folsom said of Jones. “He’s a handful and he does so many different things that create problems for anybody, and we knew that going into it.”

Woodinville forward Tony Miller finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Federal Way escaped a late run from Union to win 61-58.

Behind 20 first-half points from senior guard Viont’E Daniels, Federal Way led 40-27 at the break (and by as many as 19 in the first half).

The Titans outscored Federal Way in the third quarter 19-11 and made it a game down the stretch. While they never regained the lead, they did have plenty of opportunities.

With 32 seconds left and the Eagles leading 60-58, Union had a shot-clock violation — guard Micah Paulson appeared unaware that it was running low and the Titans failed to get a shot off. Paulson also took a 3-pointer with eight seconds left that would have put them up 61-60.

The final play of the game was a 3-point attempt from Union guard Cameron Cranston that would have sent the game to overtime. It rimmed out.

Federal Way head coach Jerome Collins said his team did back off a bit defensively with the early lead, but he also acknowledged that the score isn’t a factor in how he coaches.

I always tell my kids, ‘we’re not concentrated on the score or how big of a lead’,” Collins said. “We’re concentrated on what we’re being coached to do.”

Union was partially able to hang around due to poor free throwing shooting by Federal Way — when being intentionally fouled in the final minute, Christian Jones missed three straight and Daniels also missed a one-and-one attempt. As a team, the Eagles finished 14-of-23 from the line.

Federal Way is back in the championship for the first time since it won it in 2010. The Eagles will meet Davis, which they beat 88-43 on Dec. 6.

“We know what they do,” Daniels said of Davis. “We know who we have to stop. We’re going to watch film later on tonight and be ready for tomorrow at 9 o’clock p.m.”

Garfield beat Seattle Prep, 60-64.

Jaylen Nowell led all scorers with 21 for the Bulldogs, whose biggest first-half lead was 24 points. He and Alphonso Anderson shot 6-for-9 and 6-for-10, respectively, in the first half.

The Seattle Prep comeback effort was a product of four Panthers finishing in double figures — Jack Stewart and J’Raan Brooks each had 16.

A Collin Welp 3-pointer with 14 seconds left made it 62-60 — the closest the game had been since Garfield’s first bucket of the night.

Garfield guard Terrell Brown was intentionally fouled and made both free throws with nine seconds left to secure the four-point win.

The 3A championship game will have a pretty familiar feel — Rainier Beach handled Eastside Catholic, 61-33, in a rematch of last year’s title. That sets up a Garfield-Beach final Saturday at 5 p.m.

“We’re back where we want to be, defending our championship,” Rainier Beach head coach Mike Bethea said. “Even though [Garfield was] 4A champs, they feel they’re defending their championship and may the best team win.”

The Vikings were quick out of the gate Friday, leading 22-10 at the end of the first quarter. Things slowed down in the second where they were held scoreless for the first six minutes. Eastside Catholic didn’t have much offensively in the second either, but outscored Rainier Beach 7-4.

“They were controlling the tempo of the game,” Bethea said of the slow second quarter. “We were allowing them to get back and basically dictate how we were playing thew game. And then we fell in love with the jumpshot … we got to penetrate and dish. That’s what we do well.”

The Crusaders never really got their offense going, which was also the case yesterday against Marysville-Pilchuck. Senior guard Matisse Thybulle shot a combined 3-for-22 in the two games (2-for-12 against Rainier Beach).

Rainier Beach outscored EC 22-6 in the fourth. Crusaders’ head coach Bill Liley is still happy with what this team accomplished and said it will be ready to take on Seattle Prep in the consolation bracket tomorrow.

“This team has competed,” he said. “Going this far and getting to the final four this year with this group, I think that’s pretty good.”

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