Seamount boys: Late Hazen rally dooms Renton
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RENTON — Vershan Cottrell scored 39 points for Renton, but it wasn't enough as the Hazen Highlanders came from behind to defeat the Indians 71-65 in a hotly contested Seamount League boys basketball game last night at Hazen High School.
Renton led 58-54 midway through the fourth quarter before the Highlanders went on a 12-0 run over a 3:09 span to take the lead for good.
"I'm proud of these kids tonight," said Gary Schaplow, Hazen's first-year coach. "They have come out and worked hard every day. They've set high goals for themselves this year."
One of those goals is to win the King Division title, which Hazen and Renton are expected to challenge for this season. With the win, Hazen took the early division lead at 3-0 and 5-2 overall. Renton fell to 2-1, 3-4 overall.
"This game was important because it's a league game," Schaplow said. "You have to defend home court if you want to contend for the division title."
Hazen won despite the season-high, 39-point outburst by Cottrell. The 6-foot-2 senior guard made 12 of 24 field goals, with seven three-pointers. He came into the game averaging almost 26 points per game.
"His effort is always consistent," Renton Coach Rick Comer said. "Hazen outrebounded us and outhustled us. But we were right there. It's one of those Hazen versus Renton games with lots of energy."
Cottrell nailed a three-pointer with 4:10 remaining to put Renton up 58-54, before Hazen began its comeback behind guards Kevin Nelson and Jamaal Pressley. Both players scored 22 points to lead the Highlanders.
Nelson, a 6-foot senior, sank two free throws, then nailed a 15-foot shot to tie the game at 58 with 3:20 left. Pressley, a 6-3 junior, put Hazen up for good with a layup off an assist from Jimmy Hill for a 60-58 lead. Pressley and Nelson scored the next six points on foul shots to complete the Highlanders' surge, aided by a technical foul by Renton's Augustine Williams. Cottrell sank a three-pointer to stop Hazen's run, but Renton got no closer.
Hazen made 22 of 31 shots from the foul line, including 14 of 20 in the fourth quarter. Renton was 14 of 24 from the line. Hazen also outrebounded Renton 30-21, with center Blake Galvin grabbing a team-high nine boards.
"This was an outstanding team effort," Schaplow said. "That's the team philosophy here."
Other games
At Evergreen 88, Tyee 50 — Stefan Hadgrove had a double-double (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Dan Trujillo scored 21 points to lead the Wolverines (3-0 King Division, 4-2) to a rout of the Totems (0-3, 0-6). Aaron Shepard had 16 points and eight assists, and Cortlee Harris had nine assists for Evergreen. Kris Farrell led Tyee with 15 points.
Lindbergh 65, at Highline 44 — Lindbergh started the fourth quarter with a 16-4 run to put away the Pirates in a King Division game. Austin Pierson scored 19 points and hit five three-pointers for the Eagles (2-1, 3-3). Patryk Chmielewski had 19 points for Highline (1-2, 1-6).
At Kennedy 70, Mount Rainier 57 — The Lancers used a press to rattle the Rams in the second half as Kennedy (1-2 King Division, 1-4) pulled away for its first victory. Jerome Healy had 17 points and went 3 for 3 from behind the three-point line for Kennedy. David Roth had 14 rebounds and Paul Danforth 15 points for the Lancers. Ernie Williams of Mount Rainier (0-3, 1-5) had a game-high 18 points.
At Clover Park 75, Franklin Pierce 42 — Senior guard Brandon Lewis scored 11 of his 18 points in the pivotal second quarter for fifth-ranked Clover Park (3-0 Pierce Division, 7-0). Leading 15-14 after one quarter, the Warriors outscored the Cardinals (0-3, 2-5) 25-8 in the second quarter.
Lewis also had eight assists and Clarence Long scored 15 points for Clover Park.
At White River 91, Peninsula 65 — The No. 9 Hornets (2-0 Pierce Division, 6-0) made half their three-point attempts (10 of 20) and shot 56 percent from the field overall in a runaway victory.
Brad Addink was 8 of 11 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point distance while scoring 20 points for White River.
Andrew Banks had 13 points and seven assists for the Hornets. Robbie Jamison led Peninsula (0-3, 4-3) with 17 points.