LACEY — It was almost perfect, that first quarter for the Prairie boys basketball team Friday night.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, they could not sustain that pace.
Timberline of Lacey survived the first eight minutes, then put up its own impressive numbers in the final three quarters to secure a trip to the Class 3A state tournament.
Erik Stevenson scored 27 points and Hunter Campau made five 3-pointers, leading the Blazers to an 80-66 victory over Prairie in the quarterfinals of the 3A bi-district tournament. The Falcons drop into the consolation bracket and must win three in a row next week to advance to state.
Prairie (19-3) made 10 of its first 13 shots, including four 3-pointers, putting up 27 points in the first quarter. Braiden Broadbent had 12 points in the run that gave the Falcons a nine-point lead.
“It felt good, but you just got to keep it going for the rest of the game, though,” Broadbent said.
It might have been too good, that opening performance.
“We just started settling. I think we thought it was going to be easy,” Broadbent explained.
Instead, the Blazers found their shooting touch, creating a buzz with their fans at Timberline High. Prairie, by way of the bracket, was the home team but the game was played on the Blazers’ court.
Timberline would make five 3-pointers in a 25-point second quarter. The Blazers ended the half on a 10-0 run to go up by seven, holding the Falcons to nine points in the period.
“After the first quarter, Coach got on us,” Stevenson said. “We kind of just locked on from there.”
At halftime, the Blazers knew — based on their RPI — that a win would not only get them in the regional round of state but also a trip to the Tacoma Dome for the final 12.
They played like it, too, as every time Prairie would make a move, the Blazers had a corresponding move.
“They all can shoot. It was tough,” Stevenson said of the Falcons. “Two very good basketball teams going at it. It was just our night, I guess.”
Seth Hall scored Prairie’s first six points of the second half, and it was a six-point game. But Eli Morton connected on a 3-pointer for Timberline.
It was back to six points two times in the final minute of the third quarter, but Campau and Stevenson hit 3-pointers both times to push it back to nine points.
Same kind of thing in the fourth quarter, too, until the closing minutes.
“I thought we were one shot away that whole fourth quarter,” Broadbent said. “If we hit one more, maybe we get it down to three points.”
“We just couldn’t get over the hump,” Prairie coach Kyle Brooks said. “Every time, they responded.”
Tariq Romain has 12 of his 18 points in the second half for Timberline. Stevenson made four 3-pointers in his big night. And Campau was 5 for 7 from long range.
Prairie had four in double figures. Hall had a game-high 19 points. Broadbent finished with 15, Dwayne Stewart had 11, and Kameron Osborn scored 10.
The Falcons now must win Monday, Wednesday and next weekend to qualify for state. Time for the long road — eight teams left in the consolation bracket with one berth to be won. The coach added there is a benefit for that fortunate one.
“The team that does that will survive three loser-out games and will be a really seasoned team,” Brooks said.
Broadbent said he and the Falcons will have the right approach.
“Win Monday and then keep it going, keep the momentum,” he said.
TIMBERLINE 80, PRAIRIE 66
TIMBERLINE — Tariq Romain 18, Eli Morton 8, Erik Stevenson 27, Jamin Faalogo 2, Jaelen Bush 8, Hunter Campau 17. Totals 26 (11) 17-23 80.
PRAIRIE — Dante Heitschmidt 3, Kameron Osborn 10, Braiden Broadbent 15, Seth Hall 19, Ethan Rouse 2, Logan Reed 2, Dwayne Stewart 11, Matthew Kogler 4. Totals 26 (8) 6-13 66.
Timberline 18 25 20 17–80
Prairie 27 9 18 12–66
