BOYS BASKETBALL: Decatur’s season comes to an end with losses to Bellevue, Lakes at state

By Casey Olson • February 28, 2011 2:10 pm
Decatur senior Austen Wilson goes up for a shot over a Bellevue High School defender during Friday's 80-45 loss in the opening round of the Class 3A State Tournament at Bellevue College. It was the Gators' fifth-straight trip to the state tournament.
Decatur senior Austen Wilson goes up for a shot over a Bellevue High School defender during Friday's 80-45 loss in the opening round of the Class 3A State Tournament at Bellevue College. It was the Gators' fifth-straight trip to the state tournament.

The third time wasn’t the charm for the Decatur boys basketball team.
The Lakes Lancers ended the Gators’ season Saturday night in the opening round of the Class 3A State Boys Basketball Tournament at Bellevue College, 73-67.
It was the third time this year the fifth-ranked Lancers (22-3) have beaten Decatur, including twice during the South Puget Sound League 3A regular season. Lakes now advances to the state quarterfinals inside the Tacoma Dome. The Gators (17-9) were forced into the loser-out game after losing to Bellevue Friday night, 80-45, in a winner-to-state contest. It was the fifth-straight trip to the state tournament by the Decatur program.
Saturday’s loss to the Lancers (20-3) was the closest of the three games between the SPSL foes. Lakes beat the Gators by 21 and 18 points during the season.
Like they have all season, Decatur relied on the scoring of senior guard Jerron Smith. The Portland State-bound Smith finished with 27 hard-fought points during the game, including 19 during the second half when the Gators mounted a comeback.
But the slow start during the opening two quarters again hurt the Gators Saturday night. Decatur’s defense had no answer for Lakes’ junior Nate Guy during the first half. The 6-foot-6 forward scored 22 of his 23 points to give the Lancers a commanding 41-29 lead heading into the locker room.
But the Gators rallied in the second half, thanks to the play of Smith, to cut the lead to just four points late in the fourth quarter. But that was as close as Decatur would get.
Junior guard Markus Rawls finished with 15 points for the Gators and junior Dom Hunter chipped in nine. Lakes also got 21 points from Isaac Winston, including 15 in the second half.
Lakes advances to play top-ranked O’Dea at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game at the Tacoma Dome.
The loss ended the epic Decatur career of Smith, who is not the leading scorer in the history of the school. Smith passed former Gator standouts Quincy Wilder and Marcus Tibbs midway through the regular season. Smith finished the 2010-11 season averaging an eye-popping 27.5 points a game and was in double figures in all 26 of the Gators’ games, including a career-high 44 against Wenatchee in December.

Bellevue 80, Decatur 45 (Friday)
The Gators (17-9) were forced into the loser-out game with Lakes after getting destroyed by the Bellevue Wolverines, 80-45, Friday night at Bellevue College.
The victory earned the Wolverines (22-5) a trip to the state quarterfinals inside the Tacoma Dome, where they will take on the Chief Sealth Seahawks at 7:15 p.m. Thursday.
Bellevue came into the game hotter than any team in the state. The Wolverines won the Sea-King District title by knocking off top-ranked O’Dea, second-ranked Rainier Beach and sixth-ranked Seattle Prep in consecutive games.
Bellevue didn’t waste any time against the Gators Friday. From the opening tip, the Wolverines dominated, rolling to a quick 7-0 lead early in the first quarter. Bellevue continued to pour it on during the first half, leading 44-26 after the second quarter.
The Wolverines had 11 players score during the game and were led by the 22 points of senior Will Locke. Evian Richard finished with 17 and Nate Sikma chipped in 14.
The Gators were led by the 16 points of Smith, who was the only Decatur player in double figures. Hunter finished with nine.