TACOMA — Union’s Cameron Cranston didn’t need a game-winning 3-pointer against the Bellarmine Prep boys basketball team this time.
“It was nice not to,” Union coach Blake Conley said.
Although, it looked like he might need one for a while, until Bellarmine’s Joey Bodoia fouled out on an offensive foul with less than three minutes remaining and Union pulled away for a 63-53 victory on Saturday at Mount Tahoma.
The win secures Union of the top seed into the 4A state tournament – the Titans ended the regular season No. 1 in the WIAA’s 4A RPI rankings – and a trip to the semifinals of biidistrict tournament. The top eight RPI-ranked teams to qualify for state are guaranteed a spot in the Tacoma Dome.
So that’s now twice in two years that Union has punched its ticket to the Tacoma Dome with a win over Bellarmine Prep.
Cranston’s game-winning 3-pointer last year ended that Malachi Flynn-led Bellarmine season in the regional round of the 4A state tournament.
And now the 6-foot-6 Cranston, after scoring a game-high 21 points on Saturday, is leading Union to state for the third consecutive year — the best three-year stretch of basketball the school’s had.
“It’s one of his legacies,” Conley said. “He’s been such a good leader. He’s evolved his game every years since being on varsity as a freshman.”
But his best shot ever?
That would be the one last year against Bellarmine.
“Dude, No. 1 easy,” Cranson said. “Easy No. 1.
“But getting this win feels just as good.”
An emotional Bellarmine team came out as the aggressor in this one. The Lions led 14-10 after the first quarter and held Cranston scoreless until the lefty used an array of moves around the basket to score 11 second-quarter points.
“He’s very crafty,” Bellarmine coach Bernie Salazar said. “Good player.”
Bellarmine’s Christian Moore kept the Lions in the game. He finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds.
But Conley said Union came in trying to take Bodoia out of the game. And the Titans did, holding the Lions’ senior guard to six points when he ended the regular season averaging 19.4.
Conley asked Austin Lewis to play expanded minutes and keep Bodoia from filling the box score.
“We know they have other players but Joey is such a good player that we really wanted to focus on him,” Conley said. “And we did a good job of that. Lewis hasn’t played a ton, but he did an awesome job.”
Union extended its lead to 43-30 in the third quarter, but Bellarmine went on a 16-6 run — sparked Jaylen Scott and Charles Elzie hitting each hitting a 3-pointer.
But the Lions lost their momentum when Bodoia, after stealing a pass, was called for a charge underneath Bellarmine’s basketball when he drove coast-to-coast with 2:56 remaining.
The Lions bench erupted, arguing it should have been a blocking foul to give Bodoia two free throws with Union up 54-49.
Lewis also contributed on offense, scoring 14 points. Zach Reznick had another solid game, adding 11 points for the Titans.
UNION 63, BELLARMINE 53
BELLARMINE — Elzie 8, Bodoia 6, Price 1, Scott 12, Moore 18, Horner 8. Totals 16 (6) 3-6 53.
UNION — Keithen Shepard 6, Houston Combs 0, Zach Reznick 11, Tyler Combs 9, Quinn Lamey 0, Austin Lewis 14, Jalen Brown 0, Kai Gamble 2, Cameron Cranston 21. Totals 12 (2) 13-17 63.
Bellarmine 14 8 11 20–53
Union 10 15 19 17–63
