Storm hope to respond Friday in the fourth-place semifinals

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

The Skyview Storm reached so many goals this season.

And they still have one more they can achieve, even after losing in the state quarterfinals Thursday afternoon in the Tacoma Dome.

“I’m really proud of everyone,” said senior Gavin Perdue. “This started spring time last year. We had a tough season last year, but we committed to being here. All offseason, we talked about the dome being the goal. We wanted to be here, and we want to play on the last day.”

That can still happen.

Davis of Yakima was too strong for the Storm down the stretch Thursday, recording a 75-69 victory in the Class 4A boys basketball state tournament.

Finnegan Anderson of Davis and Demaree Collins of Skyview had a game of “top-this,” with Anderson finishing with 36 points. Collins ended up with 31.

Davis will play in the championship semifinals Friday night.

Skyview, now in the consolation bracket, will play in the fourth-place semifinals at 12:15 p.m. Friday against Tahoma. The winner of that game will play for fourth place and will be assured of bringing home a state trophy.

The Storm, desperately hoping to be a final four team, quickly adjusted the goal.

“Just get a fourth-place trophy,” Collins said. “That’s what we’re about now.”

The Storm also might need some time Thursday night to let this one sink in, coming so close to victory.

Perdue’s 3-pointer in the final seconds of the third quarter gave the Storm a one-point lead. 

Javen Fletch’s bucket off a great feed from Collins made it 49-46 early in the fourth. 

But Davis got hot. 

Anderson scored plus the foul. He missed the free throw, but the Pirates grabbed the offensive rebound and Cesar Hernandez buried a 3-pointer for five quick points and a 55-51 lead. The Storm would keep it close, but would never tie the game again in the final five-plus minutes.

Collins had 14 fourth-quarter points, trying to rally the Storm.

Down nine with less than a minute to play, Collins hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Malakai Weimer grabbed the offensive rebound, passed it back to Collins, who hit another 3-pointer to make it 70-67 with 23 seconds left.

Hernandenz made two free throws, followed by another basket from Collins. The Storm were called for an intentional foul with 10 seconds to play, and the Pirates made enough free throws to secure the victory.

Collins finished 12 of 23 from the floor.

“To be honest, it’s really not about me tonight. It’s about my teammates,” Collins said. “They gave me the ball. They trusted me. All credit to them.”

He said he was proud of the fight.

“We never give up,” Collins said. “In any game … we never give up.”

Skyview coach Matt Gruhler told his players to keep their heads up after the game.

“It’s special to make the final eight,” Gruhler said. “It’s disappointing when you’re as close as we were a few different times and not come out on the winning side of it.”

Now, the Storm look to focus on making it to Saturday.

“We want to play on the last day,” Gruhler said. “We want to be one of the last six teams playing on the last day.”

Sportsmanship note: Skyview’s Javen Fletch was called for the intentional foul on Davis’ Cesar Hernandez late in the game. The contact was more than Fletch wanted to deliver. Hernandez stood at the free throw line, all alone. Just before receiving the ball to take his shots, Fletch jogged over to him to give a quick hug, to make sure Hernandez knew that while an intentional foul was called, it was not Fletch’s intention to be a hard foul.