Jamie Ford scored 24 points and the Tigers kept their season alive with a strong all-around effort in the Class 4A bi-district game played at Mount Tahoma High School in Taacoma.
Battle Ground (16-8) advances to play in a winner-to-regionals game at 6 p.m. on Thursday against Emerald Ridge at Mount Tahoma.
Tuesday’s game was tied at 40 in the third quarter before Battle Ground’s Keaton Hoots made consecutive baskets to put the Tigers in front and Puyallup was never closer than four points from there.
“It was a great win for us. It was a complete team effort,” Battle Ground coach Wes Armstrong said. “We overcame a lot of adversity and came out on top against a very, very good (Puyallup) basketball team.”
The adversity included some foul trouble for junior post Devin Johnson. Hoots’ go-ahead plays came with Johnson on the bench.
Jamie Ford played a complete game, Armstrong said. In addition to his 24 points, the senior guard had five assists and two steals.
The Tigers had assists on 18 of their 26 field goals. They made eight 3-pointers.
BATTLE GROUND 73, PUYALLUP 65
BATTLE GROUND — Jamie Ford 24, Nate Moring 7, Damien Ford 14, Jeff Moran 0, Devin Johnson 5, Josh Lemar 16, Colby Cahoon 3, Taylor Smith 0, Keaton Hoots 4. Totals 26 (8) 13-20 73.
PUYALLUP — N. Gutierrez 20, TJ Winter 17, T. Gutierrez 6, Vollmen 2, Dombrowski 3, Iverson 7, Neff 10. Totals 20 (7) 19-25 .
BGround 22 13 19 19–73
Puyallup 24 6 15 20–65
