How did three No. 1 seeds go down in the Washington high school (WIAA) regional basketball tournaments

The biggest shocker came at Bellevue College where Bellarmine Prep boys upended 3A favorite Rainier Beach, 59-57

Bellarmine Prep boys posted one of the biggest wins in program history by beating Rainier Beach, 59-57, at Class 4A regionals in Bellevue. / Photo by Todd Milles

All week, Bobby Moorehead had heard the chatter statewide how his Bellarmine Prep Lions shouldn't have received a protected seed for the WIAA Class 3A boys basketball championships.

For the record, he didn't disagree - but still he had greater things to worry about.

Like how to slow down the Lamborghini-speed transition of the Rainier Beach offense before the teams' regional-round showdown Saturday.

And the Lions did just that in posting one of the biggest playoffs upsets in recent history by taking down the 3A Metro League champions, 59-57, before a stunned crowd at Bellevue College.

It was not only one of the best wins in program history, what Bellarmine Prep did was shake up the WIAA bracket, essentially sending the suddenly-vulnerable (if Jaylen Petty isn't "feeling well" ... he sat out Saturday until the final few minutes) Vikings to the side where all the other 3A Sea-King contenders reside.

"At the end of the day, you have to beat everybody to make it happen," Moorehead said.

Leading up to the Rainier Beach game, Moorehead stressed transition defense as his top priority - and it worked. The Vikings were left playing in the halfcourt much of the game, and their 57 points were easily a season-low.

"In the halfcourt, I feel we can guard anybody," Moorehead said.

Bellarmine Prep had to convert a few big shots, too - which it did.

None were bigger than the one Kade Price hit with 55seconds remaining. He faked a pass to set up an open look at a long right-side 3-pointer, which he swished to give the Lions a 56-52 lead.

"A massive shot," Moorehead said.

Petty missed a 3-pointer seven seconds later, but Kaden Powers sliced it to 56-54 on a putback of his own missed shot with 36.9 seconds remaining.

After J.J. Bordeaux split a pair of free throws with 13.9 seconds to go, the Vikings had a chance to tie, but Powers' contested 3-pointer hit the front rim, and Bellarmine Prep made one more free throw to close out the upset.

Price and Ben Heisel led the Lions with 13 points apiece.

Moorehead pointed to early slow-start losses against Annie Wright and Lincoln of Tacoma as a reminder of how important it was for the team to stand tall from the first minute on.

"The biggest thing for us was the belief that we can play with these guys," Moorehead said. "And (Saturday) night was the most fearless they've ever been."

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Kawehi Borden and Sumner shocked Davis of Yakima in regionals. / Photo by Todd Milles

SUMNER'S SCORCHING FINISH DOOMS DAVIS OF YAKIMA GIRLS

A week ago, as seeds were being announced, it became clear that many of the Class 4A girls contenders wanted to avoid No. 1 Davis of Yakima as long as possible.

When Sumner came up as the Pirates' regional-round opponent, the Spartans didn't mind it. They had split a pair of playoff games with Davis a year ago.

And yet, it took Pirates' standout Cheyenne Hull fouling out with 4:49 remaining for Sumner to pick up the pace, which it did in wiping out a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to escape with a 67-62 win from the Davis gymnasium.

Sumner scored 30 fourth-quarter points - 26 coming after Hull fouled out on an offensive charge. The Spartans scored on all of their remaining possesion, hitting eight of nine field goals, including two 3-pointers apiece by Madison Hughes and Olivia Collins.

The game's quick turnaround - Sumner ended on a 26-11 run - left the home crowd stunned, and the Pirates, who saw their 28-game winning home streak end, dazed.

"We are going to fight - win, lose or draw," Sumner girls coach Katie Hyppa said.

Hyppa said she sensed a "momentum shift" happen after Hull's disqualification.

"Obviously because she is one of the best players in the state," Hyppa said.

Hughes drilled back-to-back corner 3-pointers, and then Collins took over - with scoring and passing - in leading the comeback.

Her second long 3-pointer gave Sumner a 59-58 with 1:34 remaining. And on Sumner's next possession, she fed Parker Gould for an inside basket

Averie Brandt sank a 3-pointer for Davis to cut it to 63-62 with 24.1 seconds remaining. But Collins made both free throws on the other end - and Brandt's 3-pointer to tie was off the mark.

Collins finished with 22 points and eight rebounds. Kawehi Borden added 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Spartans

"The grit was showed was what I was proud of the most," Hyppa said. "It just has taken us longer for that mentality to come through this season."

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Led by guard Angelica Askey, Rainier girls basketball is the No. 1 seed in the Class 2B championships. / Photo by Todd Milles

NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN GIRLS HANDLE RAINIER

Top-seeded Class 2B squad Rainier was coming off its biggest win of the season by tripping up Adna in the District 4 championship game a week ago - but the Mountaineers also lost guard Brooklynn Swenson to a season-ending injury in the fourth quarter of that game.

Six days later, it was obvious the Mountaineers missed her as Northwest Christian of Colbert rode a quick start to a 53-42 victory at W.F. West High School.

Junior Macey Shamblin scored a team-high 23 points, and the Crusaders closed the final five minutes of the first quarter on a 16-3 run to grab a 23-9 lead.

"We knew we had to make a statement in the first few minutes," said Nikki Nelson, the first-year Northwest Christian coach who unexpectedly took over a month before the season. "Our girls are peaking at the right time."

Angelica Askey led all scorers for Rainier with 28 points.

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