Up-for-breakfast Royal ends Annie Wright's reign as 1A state boys champion
Knights hold Tacoma school to season-low in points in 63-37 early-morning yawner in the Yakima Valley SunDome on Thursday
Editor’s note: This game story was originally published by content-sharing partner Stat Hound Media, founded by journalist Jerrel Swenning. Support that venture at stathoundmedia.com.
YAKIMA – The third-seeded Royal boys basketball team can sleep in Friday.
The Knights have more than earned it.
Already slotted into the 9 a.m. tip-off Wednesday, because of the opening victory Royal remained the first game Thursday in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
After Thursday’s performance against No. 4 Annie Wright, the SCAC power might just want to take the court as early as possible Friday.
The Knights limited the defending Class 1A champions to a season-low in a 63-37 thumping to advance to the state semifinals for the second consecutive year. They’ll meet SCAC rival and top-seeded Zillah at 3:45 p.m. Friday.
It’ll be the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams, with the Leopards winning all three matchups, twice in the final seconds.
“It’s been pretty good to us,” first-year Royal coach Tim Ravet said of the 9 o’clock games. “You get a lot more thoughts in your head when you sit around.”
It’s the Knights’ defensive effort that’ll stick in the heads of the Gators, and anybody else who watched.
Annie Wright star ninth grader James Thomas – the son of Tacoma legend Isaiah Thomas, the former University of Washington and NBA star – was held to six points by Royal junior Dax Jenks, and Major Andra when Jenks checked out.
“He’s a shifty player,” Jenks said. “He knows what he’s doing and honestly I was looking for the opportunity to push myself and I felt I was able to stop him.”
Ravet couldn’t have been more impressed by Jenks’ effort.
“Awesome, totally awesome,” he said. “He knew how to get into him. but also keep him in front and take the right angles, so when he did try to go he was always in front and made him feel like there’s always someone in his face.”
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