(WSHS huddle in game’s final minute)

FIRST REPORT, 7:02 PM: An intense game just ended at Bellevue College with a season-ending loss for the West Seattle High School boys – Garfield got this district’s final spot in the regional/state tournament, 60-53 over the Wildcats. Details and photos after we get back to HQ.

ADDED 7:45 PM: Star of the game for the Wildcats was #23, senior Anthony Giomi, whose point total matched the number on his jersey.

First on the scoreboard for the Wildcats, though, was the day’s second-leading WSHS scorer, #5, junior Abdullahi Mohamed (9 points):

Garfield’s shooting was cold for much of the first quarter. WSHS held the lead until Garfield tied it 6-6 with 1:17 left in the quarter and then tacked on five more points before that first buzzer; it was 11-6 Bulldogs going into the second quarter.

That period saw the Wildcats as the ones with trouble getting the ball and net to connect. Garfield was out to a twelve-point lead before Giomi broke the drought. Garfield kept the lead but WSHS didn’t let them pull away, and with 2:50 to go in the half, they got back to within single digits. There was a trade of three-pointers, including one by WSHS #10, junior Roman Barnet (6 points total on the day):

By halftime, WSHS was only three points back, 28-25. And the second half was off to a roaring start for the Wildcats, with a Mohamed basket within :15 and then a Giomi three-pointer putting West Seattle ahead at 7:07, 30-28. #24 Simon Harris helped with some clutch rebounding:

#2 senior Elijah Nnanabu (7 points) added to the lead and WSHS was up by four:

Garfield didn’t get its first second-half points until 4:53. Shortly afterward, a big three by WSHS #1, sophomore Marcus Collins, widened the Wildcats’ lead to 35-30.

Though Garfield was battling back, WSHS still had a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter, 37-36.
They built it out to six points in the first minute – but then Garfield caught fire, took the lead, and started expanding it. Emotions were running high when a Garfield player got two technical fouls called on him; Mohamed and Giomi each got two foul shots, and each made one. Shortly afterward, another foul by the Bulldogs sent #22, junior Nuh’Kosi Roberson, to the line, and when he was done, West Seattle was only one point back, 47-46. But things didn’t go their way in the final two minutes, and time just ran out before head coach Keffrey Fazio‘s team could get another good run going.