Boys basketball notebook: Coaches still may be penalized for remarks
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TACOMA - The coaches have had their chance to speak. Now the state's high-school governing body will examine possible repercussions for coaches criticizing referees and officials during a state tournament.
On Wednesday, two coaches made point-blank criticisms of referees following a first-round loss at the Class 4A state tournament in Tacoma. Kent-Meridian girls basketball coach Derek Powell said his team "got screwed" in a first-round loss to Kennewick and Garfield boys coach Wayne Floyd said officials "handed" a victory to Foss in the first round.
Comments like those have prompted the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association to weigh possible penalties when a coach speaks out against officials at a state tournament.
"We've got to investigate the situation, look at what was said and the context in which it was said," said Mike Colbrese, the executive director of the WIAA. "We have to go back, meet with the executive board and determine the proper way to solve this."
A WIAA rule prohibits coaches and players from making negative comments about officials. The rule also prohibits officials from criticizing coaches, players or other officials.
Though too early to discuss potential disciplinary actions, Colbrese said he will consult with the WIAA executive board later this month. He also plans to meet with Floyd. Powell is retiring from coaching.
Floyd said a meeting with Colbrese is a step toward solving some of the problems he sees with both officiating at state tournaments.
"I'm optimistic about this and what's going to happen," Floyd said. "I don't think he's looking for it to be a punitive thing. I think he's looking for solutions to make the whole thing better."
Floyd said he knew his comments would stoke emotions.
"I knew when I was speaking up and being candid that there was a good possibility that my higher-ups would come down on me about that, I could possibly even lose my job," Floyd said. "But I just feel like I've got to do what I've got to do."
Foss jinx is on
Foss sophomore Isaiah Tuggle tried knocking on wood.
Too late. Even though he kneeled down and rapped his knuckles against the Tacoma Dome floor he had already jinxed senior teammate Marc Axton's streak of 24 straight free throws in tournament.
Axton missed the final free throw he attempted, which came with less than a minute left in Foss' 59-51 victory yesterday. He finished the tournament 24 for 25. In two seasons at the state tournament, he missed only two free throws in eight games. He went 20 for 21 last year.
Title goes through Garfield
The Class 4A state tournament has been in Tacoma since 1998, and for the first three years the road to the title always went through Garfield. The Bulldogs won the championship in 1998 and the past two years lost to the eventual state champion. In 1999, Garfield was beaten by eventual champ Walla Walla in the first round. Last year the Bulldogs lost to Foss in a semifinal.
The streak ended this year as Foss beat the Bulldogs in the first round before losing to Shadle Park in the quarterfinals. That gave Garfield's Will Conroy ammunition when he teased Foss' Wyatt before the Falcons' fourth-place game yesterday.
"When you beat Garfield, you're supposed to go win the whole thing," Conroy asked. "You stuck a fork in our season so you should have gone and won it all."
Block with a capital 'B'
Anthony Washington blocked six shots in Garfield's 73-43 win over Redmond to set a tournament record with 21 for the tournament. The previous mark was 17 by Rob Corkrum of Shadle Park in 1990.
Washington was such an effective swatter that he single-handedly broke the previous team record of 20 set by Lake Washington in 1995. With Washington's major contribution, Garfield set the record with 26.
Thursday, Washington set a tournament record with eight blocks against Sehome. The 6-foot-9 senior averaged 11.5 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Notes
- Foss' 6-4 Solomon Wyatt had the most diverse defensive assignments during the Falcons' four games. In overtime in Game 1, he guarded Garfield's 6-9 Washington, and in the second half of Game 2, he kept up with Danny Pariseau, Shadle Park's lightning-quick point guard. But he says his most difficult assignment was Garfield junior Brandon Roy.
"He's 6-5 and he jumps out of the gym, and when he jumps he fades away," Wyatt said. "There's nothing you can really do. He's working on his jumper and he's got that great rise already."
- The fourth-place finish by defending champion Foss in this year's tournament is the highest finish by a 4A defending champion since Evergreen of Vancouver won it in 1995 and finished third in 1996.
Seattle Times staff reporter Craig Smith contributed to this report.