BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer

Three was the most comfortable number for Seattle Christian in its comeback Nisqually 1A boys basketball win against Bellevue Christian on Fri., Jan. 23.

The trio of Bryan Botka, Taggart Anderson and Tyler Fox combined for 46 points while Anderson and Fox stockpiled 3-point goals in a fourth quarter barrage that took the wind out of the Viking sails, 53-47.
Since victories have been tough to come by this season, Seattle Christian head coach Shaun DeYager was especially gratified by the effort and result.

"When went into the locker room at halftime, I told the team to just keep doing what they knew. We were getting the right shot, but they were flat and rimming off. In the second half, we just shot better with more arc. Taggart and Tyler were just amazing in the fourth quarter while Bryan played real big on a double-double. It was a career game for him. Also, in the fourth quarter, we had the intensity and fought harder off the boards. The defense did a better job of slowing down Lampkin inside."

After three quarters, the Warriors trailed, 35-31, but Anderson opened the final quarter with a standard field goal that was matched by inside Vikings athlete Joe Lampkin as the shootout at SeaTac heated up.
Into the corner went Anderson for a 3-point goal before Fox fired home a 3-pointer as SCS regained the lead for the first time since 1:21 remained in the first half. Luke Postma replied with a 3-pointer to briefly send Bellevue Christian into the lead at 41-39 with just less than four minutes to go.

Re-enter Anderson for a right side trey for the Warriors, although Lampkin retaliated on an outside goal for a 43-42 BC advantage.

Both teams scurried for balls until Fox nailed a 45 degree, left side 3-pointer to send the Vikings ahead 45-43 only to have Lampkin escape for an inside basket that tied the score at 45-all with 1:53 showing.
Thirty-one seconds later Anderson got free on the right side for another 3-pointer and Seattle Christian grabbed the lead for good at 48-45.

With the home audience carrying on a great cacophony of sound, the basketball was kicked around several times until SCS gained possession and called time out with 54.8 seconds remaining. Less than 20 seconds from the in bounding from the side, Fox fired home yet another 3-point SCS goal to stretch the margin 51-45. It was Anderson who stole the ball near mid court and laid the ball up for a bucket with 23.8 seconds remaining to ring up a Warrior final score that removed any final doubts about who would win the game. Lampkin did notch a final basket for Bellevue Christian.

By the time the final buzzer rang, Anderson had scored 13 fourth quarter points -- 9 on 3-point goals -- and Fox had notched nine on a troika of treys for all of the Seattle Christian final quarter tallies.

Bellevue Christian seized control early with Lee Sims III and Lampkin exposing the soft inside defense of Seattle Christian to lead 15-9 after one quarter. Fox, Botka and Payton Gunhus scored consecutive baskets ahead of another Botka hoop in a Warrior transition offense for a 17-15 SCS lead with 5:06 to go until halftime. The Warriors led by as much as four points before a 4-0 Viking run to halftime gave BC a 23-22 advantage.

Six consecutive Seattle Christian points to open the second half sustained the momentum from the second quarter to the tune of a 29-23 lead that Bellevue Christian nearly wiped out, trailing only 29-28. Botka's basket gave the Warriors a 31-28 lead with nearly five minutes remaining in the third quarter ahead of the Warrior entry into the dead zone of scoring for the rest of the quarter. A Sims III 3-pointer capped a seven point Viking surge into its 35-31 differential going into the final frantic flurries.

Botka carried a huge first half load on 12 points and seven rebounds on the way to 16 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.

"I give credit to the team, especially Taggart," said Botka. "He would drive and see me inside on passes."
Anderson and Fox were largely dormant in the first half as Anderson was 0 of 5 from the field with zero points and Fox had three points on 1 of 4 shooting.

"We began pinching in on Lampkin and I put more arc on my shot," Anderson said. It was 3 of 5 3-point shooting in the second half that propelled Anderson to 16 game points with a total of seven caroms, as well as grabbing four steals.

Fox was 3 of 5 from beyond the 3-point arc to aid his total of 14 points.

"I got more open looks and was able to knock a couple (of shots) down," he said.