CHEHALIS — A championship run?
Only time will tell.
A season-saving run?
Absolutely.
The Union boys basketball team saved its season Friday night, rallying from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Curtis 62-50 in a Class 4A state regional playoff game at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.
Union’s 21st consecutive win puts the Titans (22-1) into the state quarterfinals in the Tacoma Dome.
“We stayed together the whole way,” said senior Micah Paulson, who scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half. “There was not one time on the floor we thought we were done. When something bad happened, we’d say, ‘We got this. Stay tough. Believe. Stay tough. We’re going to come back.’
“I knew we were going to do it. It took a little longer than I wanted it to, but it worked out.”
Cameron Cranston’s 3-pointer with just more than two minutes to play gave Union its first lead of the game — the only lead it would need. The Titans closed out the Vikings with a 24-2 run.
Cole Weatherspoon finished with six points and also had six steals and seven assists. Four of his points came after Union trailed 48-38 with a little more than six minutes to play. Teammates credited Weatherspoon’s defense all night for allowing the Titans to launch the comeback.
“This is everything,” Weatherspoon said of earning that trip to the dome. “This is all we have worked for. This is our dream ever since we were little kids. The feeling is incredible.”
Cranston, held scoreless through three quarters, scored 12 points in the decisive run. His second 3-pointer of the quarter made it 51-49 Union.
“I definitely felt relief,” Cranston said of that shot. “We knew we were going to win it after that.”
Cranston acknowledged he was frustrated after starting the game 0 for 7 from the floor.
“My teammates, they were talking me through it,” Cranston said. “My teammates were in my ear. I love those guys. They kept my head in this game. They’re great teammates. They’re great brothers.”
Curtis turned it over on its next possession, and Riley Hawken converted a three-point play for a five-point Union lead. A free throw from Curtis made it 54-50, but Cranston hit back-to-back shots, Hawken scored again, then Cranston made two free throws to complete the scoring.
Hawken, who said he threw up at halftime because of nerves, scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.
The Titans were 10 for 13 from the floor in the fourth quarter. Curtis did not make a field goal after the 6:10 mark of the fourth quarter.
“We just played really hard,” Union coach Blake Conley said. “It started on defense. We had guys flying around, and the kids fought hard and hard and hard, and they were finally able to get it in the end.”
It was Paulson — the 4A Greater St. Helen’s League’s player of the year — who got the run going for the Titans. His fourth 3-pointer of the game with 6:08 to play started it all.
“This is all I’ve been dreaming about the last three years of my life,” Paulson said. “This is the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”
UNION 62, CURTIS 50
CURTIS — Darrin Gethers 3, Aushanti Potts-Woods 17, Nate Ward 0, John Moore 11, Sindou Diallo 0, Gage Ferguson 6, Jase Paulsen 0, Trevor Morrow 0, Semaj Booker 13. Totals 19-41 (3-10) 9-14 50.
UNION — Keithan Shepard 0, Brennan Paulson 0, Cole Weatherspoon 6, Micah Paulson 16, Carson Brucher 0, Nico Bricker 4, Nick Simkins 0, Thomas Lampkin 8, Cameron Cranston 12, Riley Hawken 13, Denis Kirichenko 0, Stephan Ammentorp 3. Totals 25-54 (6-21) 6-11 62
Curtis 13 17 13 7–50
Union 8 13 15 26–62
