Eagles exit after two short losses
Tue, 03/06/2007
Federal Way had a short stay, but the state 4A boys basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome still left the Eagles with something to remember.
Making it to state -- and then playing two close games -- are always accomplishments.
Federal Way lost its opener to Redmond, 64-62 Wednesday before being booted out of the tournament by South Puget Sound League North Division rival Kentwood on Thursday, 70-60.
"I'm proud of my kids," said Eagles head coach Jerome Collins after the season ending loss to the Kentwood Conquerors. "We had a good season. Hats off to our kids. They played hard."
Federal Way finished with a 19-6 overall record with the loss to 15-12 Kentwood.
In the Kentwood game the Eagles were plagued by an 11-for-30 shooting effort for 37 percent.
"I think if you really looked up and analyzed it, they had a clear cover on our hoop," quipped Collins.
"I just never seen us shoot like that. The kids played enough defense to keep us in it."
The Eagles trailed, 25-20, at halftime after being down as much as 11-2 and 16-4 early.
Federal Way started the third quarter off hot.
Jeffrey Forbes Jr. iced a three-point shot 59 seconds into the period, then Aaron Broussard scored on a steal and layup to tie it at 25-25 with 6:44 left in the quarter.
Kentwood answered with four points straight before Broussard sank two free throws to make it 29-27 with 4:49 to play in the quarter. But the Conquerors made back-to-back three-point scores to break away.
The Eagles got two free throws and a right-side shot that rolled in from Terrell Smith to make it 35-31 before Kentwood hit eight unanswered points to end the quarter up, 41-31.
"Kentwood did a good job and Josh (Smith) is tough to deal with," said Collins.
The Conquerors' Josh Smith stands at 6-7 as a freshman who scored 28 points and picked 20 rebounds off the glass.
The Eagles' Terrell Smith -- who is bound for the University of the Pacific next year -- hit a team high 21 points. Andre Barrington added 12, Broussard 10 and Forbes 10. Daniel Young hit four and Isiah Umipig three.
Wednesday against Redmond the Eagles were still tied with the Mustangs at 60-60 with 1:52 to play in the game after Marques Hollins hit a three point shot.
Redmond then struggled to build a lead, hitting one free throw each in four-straight 1 and 1 opportunities.
But that was good enough for a 64-60 Redmond lead with 5.1 seconds to play.
Federal Way's Umipig then swished in a two-point basket at the buzzer, cutting the final score to 64-62.
After the game that eliminated the Eagles' title hopes, Collins did not want his players to lose sleep over it.
"You can always alter the course of a game when you're in the game, but when it's over there's nothing you can do to after it," he said.
Terrell Smith scored 27 points for Federal Way as Broussard sank 17. Hollins hit eight, Forbes five, Umipig three and Young two,
Broussard led with seven rebounds.