Wildcats clipped in final seconds by Seattle Prep
February 27, 2009
By Ryan Piersol
The Mount Si boys basketball team isn’t out of it yet, but the Wildcats were painfully close to setting themselves up for a state tournament berth Thursday night at Bellevue Community College.
After forcing three ties in the final two minutes, Mount Si fell to Seattle Prep 60-58 in a Class 3A Sea-King District playoff contest. The loss drops the Wildcats into the loser’s bracket, where they’ll meet O’Dea at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday at Ingraham High School in an elimination game.
Mount Si had one last chance to tie the game, as junior Lucas Zupan was fouled with less than one second to play. However, his first of two free throws came up short, before he intentionally missed the second on the game’s final play.
Lucas Zupan, right, and Taylor Campbell surround an opponent during a regular-season game.
Even with the loss, which would’ve put the Wildcats into the district semifinals, some in the Mount Si locker room were encouraged.
“I thought we played well — well enough to win,” head coach Jeff D’Ambrosio said. “We hit some shots in the second half and made some plays. They made some plays and just happened to make one more.
“Whoever had the ball last, with a good look, was going to win.”
Tanner Riley led Mount Si with 19 points, while Zander Nelson chipped in 13.
The Wildcats took a 47-45 lead on the first possession of the fourth quarter when Dallas Smith knocked down a 3-pointer. Seattle Prep, though, responded with a quick 6-0 run and had a 54-50 lead with less than four minutes to go.
After a Nelson putback was followed by a Smith layup, the game was once again even, 54-54, with 2:05 left. Back-to-back Seatte Prep buckets were each answered by field goals from Smith and Riley, making it 58-58 with just 39 seconds remaining.
After holding for the last shot, Panthers guard Phillip Stanford got loose inside and scored a go-ahead layup with only six seconds remaining. In a frenzy, the Wildcats rushed the ball downcourt, nearly turning it over, before a loose ball found its way into the hands of Zupan on the block. He was fouled with four-tenths of a second left.
After the first free throw was short, Mount Si deliberately missed the second in an attempt to get a tip-in. But a lane violation ended the Wildcats’ final hope.
“I was worried, because I felt like we attacked the basket a little early. And, sure enough, Nelson, he’s so quick and he got to the bucket for them,” Seattle Prep head coach Mike Kelley said of the final seconds.
“They’re good. They have role players who buy in and they run four or five sets really well. Riley, for a kid in high school, moves so well without the ball. They’re difficult to defend.”
Mount Si led, 23-15, at one point in the first half. It was the game’s largest lead.
Seattle Prep ended the first half with a 6-0 run to forge a 25-25 tie at the break. The Panthers then got ahead 36-30 at the 5:40 mark of the third period, before buckets by Smith, Zupan, Nelson and Riley late in the period pull Mount Si to within 45-44.
The Wildcats need to win two more games to advance to state. If they defeat O’Dea, they’ll play again on Thursday. Mount Si fell to O’Dea on the road, 60-57 in overtime, during the regular season.
Reach editor Ryan Piersol at editor@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434.
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