BATTLE GROUND — The Union boys basketball team never feared a Federal Way Eagles team that up until last weekend’s 4A bi-district title game hadn’t lost all season.
The Titans proved, just like their meeting in Puyallup 10 days earlier, they can hang with the Eagles, and show why they’re also one of the state’s elite.
It’s tough to celebrate a loss, especially when it was so close to becoming a quarterfinal-clinching victory in more ways than one for Union.
Instead, a 75-65 overtime loss to Federal Way sends the Titans (21-6) to Wednesday’s 3:45 p.m. loser-out contest against Kamiak of Mukilteo at the Class 4A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome.
How well the Titans played doesn’t ease the sting of the loss, though, coach Blake Conley said.
But, he added, “We showed we can play with the best teams in the state, and we knew that. We proved it to ourselves.”
While the game might’ve been the same outcome as the teams’ bi-district semifinal in Puyallup 10 days earlier, in no way was it the same performance.
For starters, the Titans had five days to prepare for a Federal Way (25-1) team it lost to by 20.
It showed from the start with an 11-0 run sparked by four straight fastbreak baskets off steals.
Ethan Smith had a game-high 19 points, one of three Titans in double figures. Tyler Combs added 13 and Jason Franklin, Jr. had 11.
Zach Reznick added eight, and his one of two 3-pointers late were the three biggest points of the game to help spark a comeback in a second half that featured 10 lead changes.
Down 63-60 with 11.4 seconds to go. Alishawuan Taylor snagged an offensive rebound off a missed Tyler Combs 1-and-1, and the kickout to Reznick for the corner 3 was perfect: 63-63 with 3.1 seconds to go.
Federal Way had the final shot, but was off the mark.
In the overtime session, the Titans hoped to use the momentum built from rallying back from 62-56 with 1:32 left to take the lead for good.
The Eagles, however, never let that happen outscoring Union 12-2.
“I was extremely proud of how hard we played and the effort and execution,” Conley said. “I think if a couple of those layups and those little shots down low in the fourth quarter, if they would’ve gone, I think it’s a different celebration.”
The Eagles played the final 5 minutes, 1 second of the fourth and the entire overtime without leading scorer Jaden McDaniels.
The 6-foot-9 flashy forward, already with numerous Division I offers, was whistled for a technical foul on a dunk after a dead ball. That gave him his fifth foul with Union leading 53-49. He finished with 22 points.
FEDERAL WAY 75, UNION 65, OT
FEDERAL WAY — Marcus Austin 11, Jordan Magee 9, Jalen Womack 17, Ethan Collins 0, Mykael Henry 0, Jishai Miller 2, Jaden McDaniels 22, Isiah Hart 6. Totals 26 (9) 14-18 75.
UNION — Coby Weatherspoon 0, Houston Combs 0, Zach Reznick 8, Tyler Combs 13, Dustin Nettles 8, Alishawuan Taylor 2, Ethan Smith 19, Aiden Nellor 0, Brad Lackey 4, Jason Franklin, Jr. 11. Totals 24 (8) 9-12 65.
