TACOMA — Of all the Union Titans who raced to the locker room in celebration of their 69-56 win Thursday over Olympia, Tanner Toolson might’ve shown the most excitement.
It was this exact game — the Class 4A boys state quarterfinals — a year ago that then-No. 1 Union lost to Curtis, then had their season end the following day in a consolation defeat.
Not this time. And you bet that was on Toolson’s mind.
“After we won the game,” Toolson said, “I couldn’t help but smile, and enjoy it.”
Toolson and Kaden Horn each scored 22 points and Ariya Briscoe added 11 to secure the Titans a state quarterfinal win at the Tacoma Dome.
No Union team has been undefeated at this stage of a season. At 26-0, the Titans know their work isn’t done. They’ll face Central Valley, a 65-64 winner over Skyview, in Friday’s state semifinals. Tip off is at 7:15 p.m.
The bright lights of a Dome setting never fazed the Titans. They led start to finish against a Bears team that features 6-foot-10 junior center, Jackson Grant, a Washington commit, and a team they beat 70-57 two weeks ago at bi-districts.
First-time Titans especially weren’t fazed playing in their first game at the Tacoma Dome.
One of them was Horn, who had 17 of his 22 points in the first half when Union shot 50 percent from the floor and led 35-30 at halftime. Horn connected on 5 of 6 from 3-point range as Union led 35-30 at halftime.
Confidence from teammates led Horn to firing early, and that had Union clicking early. Horn missed his first 3-point attempt, then hit five in a row.
“That’s really big — it gets our whole team going,” said Horn, a transfer from Mountain View, who also had nine rebounds and four assists. “Even our bench when they come in and that gets them going. Everybody is positive when we’re hitting shots, so it’s really good.”
Toolson, the 4A Greater St. Helens League MVP and recently named Mr. Basketball by the state coaches association, didn’t disappoint either. Fourteen of his 22 points came in the second half when Union began to pull away. An 8-0 run by Union pushed their lead to 48-34 with 1 minutes, 31 seconds left in the third quarter. At one stretch, Olympia had one field goal for nearly 6 minutes. Union’s largest lead came at 59-40 with 4:44 to play.
By reaching the state semifinals, Union is guaranteed a state trophy. But what’s fueled their run of success all season, in part, stems from two stinging losses to end its season this time a year ago.
“Throughout the year, it’s something we’ve talked about,” Toolson said. “Everything we’ve worked for and everything we’ve done is for this state championship moment.”
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UNION 69, OLYMPIA 56
OLYMPIA — Ethan Gahm 15, Zack Swanson 2, Kai Johnson 15, Alfred Ramirez-Cortez 5, Jackson Grant 10, Andrew Swanson 0, Jack Olsen 0, Parker Gerrits 0, Keagan Heistand 1, Josh Kiley 5, Damyan Marcantel 3. Totals 28 (6) 6-11 56.
UNION — Tanner Toolson 22, Mason Hill 7, Ariya Briscoe 11, JOsh Reznick 1, Kaden Horn 22, Ty McCullum 4, Aidan Liss 2, Izaiah Vongnath 0, Connor FLannigan 0, Spencer McGuire 0. Totals 30 (10) 19-24 69.
Olympia 9 21 8 20 – 56
Union 19 16 11 21 – 69
