In their first matchup since 2009, the fifth-ranked Federal Way Eagles were just too much for the Decatur Gators.
The ultra-talented Eagles (14-3 overall) raced out to a 16-0 lead early in the first quarter and cruised to a 63-36 win in the marquee game at the King Showcase inside Kent’s ShoWare Center Monday night.
The two boys basketball programs have been mainstays at the state tournament. Decatur has qualified for the last six tournaments and Federal Way has played in five of the last six at the Class 4A level.
But the Eagles’ pressure defense and relentlessness was hard on the Gators, who feature a lineup of very inexperienced players.
Federal Way, on the other hand, have a very deep and experienced squad that features 10 impressive athletes.
After falling behind 28-12 after the first quarter, Decatur (8-8 overall) played solid basketball in the second and third quarters. The Gators even cut the Federal Way lead to just nine points, 37-28, midway through the third quarter.
But the Eagles outscored Decatur 26-8 downa the stretch. Malik Montoya led the way for Federal Way with 17 points, six rebounds and three steals. Junior Brayon Blake chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds.
Decatur was led by 18 points and 12 rebounds from Jason Young and 12 points and nine rebounds from Adam Wilson.
Federal Way’s early 16-0 run seemed to take some pressure off a team that had lost three of its last five games after starting the season unbeaten.
Monday was the first time Decatur and Federal Way have played since the 2008-09 season. Since that time, the two schools have been shuffled around the South Puget Sound League divisions before Decatur was reclassified to a Class 3A school before the 2010-11 season.
They last played in the SPSL Championship, which Federal Way won in double overtime, 69-63. It was also the start of the postseason run by the Eagles, which ended with the program’s first and only state championship. Federal Way entered the game as the top-ranked team in the state and Decatur was ranked second. The Eagles also won the earlier meeting at the 2009 King Holiday Hoopfest.
Check out a slideshow below from Monday’s game between Decatur and Federal Way. Click here to see photos.
Beamer 60, Olympia 54 (Monday)
The Todd Beamer Titans continued their impressive season with a 60-54 win over the Olympia Bears Monday at the King Holiday Hoopfest at Brougham Pavilion at Seattle University.
The Titans (12-5 overall) won their sixth game in their last seven over the Narrows League foe. Juwan Flowers and Trey Burch-Manning led the way for Beamer with 17 points each.
The Titans, who beat Federal Way last week, controlled a bulk of the game. Olympia cut the Beamer lead to just one, 51-50, with three minutes left in the game. But the Titans pulled away in the end.
Beamer’s only loss in its last seven came to fifth-ranked Curtis, who lead the South Puget Sound League South Division race. Beamer sits in third place behind Curtis and the Eagles.
Brendan Leonard led Olympia with 16 points while Michael Champlin added 14.
