The Vashon Wolverines overcame a ten-point, second half deficit to beat Rockhurst 68-65 and advance to the Class 5 boys’ championship. Connor Teahan’s free throws early in the third gave Rockhurst a 39-29 lead. Vashon spent the better part of that quarter making up the difference. With 2:17 left in the quarter, Donald Davis scored for the Wolverines to tie the game at 46-46. That’s when the see-saw began.
James Washington made a free throw to give Vashon its first lead of the game at 47-46. Rockhurst led 49-48 by the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter proved to be a back and forth battle with crowds exchanging cheers and groans. In the final eight minutes there were seven ties, ten lead changes and the largest lead in the fourth quarter was Vashon’s final three point margin of victory.
With Vashon ahead 64-63, Connor Teahan hit a bucket to give the Hawklets a 65-64 lead with 43 seconds to go. Teahan finished with a game-high 28, but those were his final points of the evening.
Alburey Doss was able to regain the lead for Vashon on the next possession, when he went to the free-throw line with 32 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Doss calmly sank two free throws to make it 66-65, Vashon. Doss put an exclamation point on the lead when he grabbed a pass from teammate Leon Powell and dunked the ball to make it 68-65.
Rockhurst had one final shot, but a three pointer by Brian Bamthouse missed. Powell was a force, scoring 15 and grabbing 16 rebounds.
Rockhurst fell to 26-4 and will face Kirkwood in the consolation game Saturday night. Vashon is now 27-2 and will go for their 11th state title, as they take on Springfield Kickapoo.
