Casto shines at all-state

SEATTLE – Don Van Lierop isn’t used to losing. The Ferris boys basketball coach also isn’t used to playing without DeAngelo Casto.

Van Lierop, who had won 58 consecutive high-school games and two state championships, suffered a rare loss, and Casto made sure it was a big one. Casto’s Class 4A all-state team shelled Van Lierop’s 3A squad 146-113 Saturday at Franklin High School.

Casto, a 6-foot-8 senior from Ferris, finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the Cloud 9 Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association All-State boys game.

Casto said his former coach had it coming.

“He was talking mess in class,” Casto said. “I wanted to put a mark on his forehead.”

“Losing sucks,” said Van Lierop, who suffered his first loss in five WIBCA All-State Game appearances.

Casto led the 4A stars’ imposing frontcourt that also included Kentridge’s Renado Parker and Gig Harbor’s Mathias Ward.

The three outweighed the 3A’s frontcourt of Rainier Beach’s Mike Ladd, Lakes’ Jermaine Kearse and Auburn’s TJ Stafford by more than 100 pounds.

Ladd led the 3A team with 16 points. Nick Rijon of North Central scored 16 for the 3A.

Ward scored 25 points and was named the game’s MVP. Shadle Park’s Zach Humphrey scored 16 points for the 4A team while Ferris players, Jared Karstetter and Shawn Stockton scored 11 and four points, respectively.

2B 112, 1B 101: The 1B squad found out why Chris Pynch of Riverside Christian was named the WIBCA’s 2B player of the year. The point guard dazzled with his ball handling, court vision and scoring ability and finished with 18 points and seven assists.

Ryan Schulz of Reardan was the 2B’s second-leading scorer with 13 points. Henry Butler of St. George’s chipped in 10.

For the 1B team, Austin Mannick from Curlew scored 16 points, Terry Kissler from Sprague-Harrington had eight and Adam Roberts from LaCrosse-Washtucna added five.

In the other game, the 1A stars defeated the 2A 107-98. No local players were in the game. Erich Fuhlendorf of King’s scored 15 points to lead the 1A team.