TACOMA — Of all the steals Cole Billingsley’s had in Battle Ground’s season, his second and final one Wednesday night by far ranks No. 1.
Top of the list because of what was on the line — a spot in Saturday’s 4A bi-district championship game — and an off-balanced finish to top off what turned into Battle Ground’s bi-district semifinal overtime victory Wednesday.
“It came down to the game-winner,” the junior guard said.
Billingsley’s steal at mid-court and lay-in with 32 seconds to play in the extra session were the go-ahead points in the Tigers’ 63-59 win over Kentwood on Wednesday night after a fourth quarter that saw Battle Ground struggle from the floor trail by as many as six with 3 minutes, 16 second to play in regulation.
Now, Battle Ground advances to Saturday’s 4A bi-district title game by winning its second straight overtime playoff game. It faces the winner of Wednesday’s late semifinal between Union and Sumner at 4 p.m. Saturday at Puyallup High School.
Kaden Perry led all scorers with 22 points as one of four Tigers in double figures. Max Ramirez and Brendan Beall each had 11 and Billingsley added 10.
Wednesday’s game at Mount Tahoma High School was the second straight game Battle Ground needed overtime to secure the win. Perry’s last-second putback last week gave the Tigers a 69-67 win over league-rival Skyview to clinch a regional berth, and Wednesday, they battled back after a sluggish fourth quarter to force overtime and seal the win when it mattered most.
Kentwood used a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter to grab a 56-50 lead in what otherwise was a one-possession game almost the entire third quarter.
Battle Ground went almost the entire fourth quarter without a field goal, but Kaden Perry’s turnaround with 48 second to play tied it at 56.
In overtime, Kentwood led 59-58 before Billingsley’s steal and finish at the rim with 32 seconds left for a 61-59 lead after Kentwood 59-58 with 1:08 left.
Perry’s topped off the scoring with two free throws in the closing seconds.
When the two teams met Dec. 9 for a nonleague contest Dec. 9, Battle Ground won it handily at home, 54-37, but Wednesday was a different story. Kentwood shot 5 of 10 from beyond the arc in the first half that helped with their 31-29 lead at intermission. BG led for most of the second quarter — its largest lead ta 26-20 — before the Conquerors ended the final 4:18 of the half on an 11-3 scoring run.
But that will to win is unlike anything else, Billingsley said, now on consecutive overtime playoff wins and topping a team that Battle Ground won Dec. 9 in a nonleague contest, 54-37.
“We’re all pretty close and that helps us work harder together,” he said. “When close games come down to it, we fight togeher and we come out on top.”
BATTLE GROUND 63, KENTWOOD 59 (OT)
KENTWOOD — Jamikal Davis 12, Alphonse Oywak 21, Jaelin Green 6, Jackson Proctor 2, Cameron Williams 8, Manraj Dhaliwal 2, Logan Stempniak 5, Thrus Scott 3.
BATTLE GROUND — Kaden Perry 22, Cole Billingsly 10, Max Ramirez 11, Nate Millspaugh 9, Brendan Beall 11, Jake Kostman 0.
Kentwood 16 15 16 9 3—59
Battle Ground 15 16 19 6 7—63
