The Redmond boys basketball team got some redemption Thursday morning at the Tacoma Dome.
The Mustangs kept their season alive, beating state rookie Todd Beamer of Federal Way, 63-46, in a loser-out Class 4A state consolation game. Redmond opened the tournament with a 66-36 loss to Federal Way on Wednesday, but bounced back in a big way on Thursday.
“We did not want it to end,” said Chris Harrington, who led the Mustangs with 19 points and seven rebounds. “We felt like we were a better team (than against Federal Way).
Phil Leland scored 12 points for Redmond and senior point guard Will Ellis added eight.
With the win against Beamer, Redmond improved to 17-10 on the season and played Mariner on Friday morning in another loser-out game after the Reporter’s deadline.
After taking a slim 27-22 lead into the locker room at halftime, the Mustangs broke the game wide open with three consecutive 3-pointers midway through the third quarter. The barrage was started by point guard Will Ellis and followed by long-range shooting savant Leland, who drilled two from the corner.
“You just need one or two (3-pointers) to fall,” said Redmond head coach Jeff Larson on his team’s offensive outburst. “I don’t know if it’s contagious… or a rhythm or confidence thing, but this group has won and lost together for a long time, so when they get it rolling together, they all come along.”
EARLY ADVERSITY
The Titans started strong and led 9-3 early on on the strength of six points by 6-foot-8 post Kevin Davis. But great defense by the Mustangs prevented Beamer from penetrating the lane and getting good looks, as Beamer shot an ice-cold 1 of 8 in the second quarter, with its only score coming on a emphatic alley-oop dunk by Davis.
“(Davis) is a heck of a player,” said Redmond guard Chris Harrington on guarding the Titans’ standout. “You can’t hesitate to go inside against him, but he definitely got his blocks and we just had to keep going at him.”
Davis scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Titans, who were making their first appearance at the Dome.
FOUL LINE PHENOMS
Late in the third quarter the Titans looked as if they could get back into the game as the Mustangs were already over the team foul limit with two minutes and 41 seconds left in the quarter.
But poor foul shooting by the Titans, who made just 6 of 13 from the charity stripe in the second half, combined with the Mustangs’ nearly flawless 12-of-14 effort in the fourth quarter, sealed the deal for the Mustangs.
“Our guys just struggled getting the ball in the basket. We shot a terrible percentage, and that happens,” said Todd Beamer coach Brent Brilhante. “Their first time in the dome, a new atmosphere for these kids, they’re a little nervous. I told them I’m not any less proud of them for going two-and-out.”
STAYIN’ ALIVE
If one thing was for sure, the Mustangs’ blowout loss against Federal Way on Wednesday put their backs to the wall. And in true Mustang form, Redmond rose to the challenge, with the help of a sea of Superfans decked in green and gold.
“We just fed off the crowd and played our hearts out,” Ellis said.
And now, the Mustangs are on the brink of bringing some state hardware back home to Redmond High School.
“We’ve accomplished every goal we set out for, but there’s one more,” Larson noted. “We’re one win away from a banner, and to place is state is always the ultimate goal.”
