Quickness, pressure sink CV

TACOMA – Not every Cinderella story has a happy ending. But the slipper did fit for a little more than a quarter in Central Valley’s State 4A boys basketball championship game against Franklin.

Then midnight arrived for the Bears as the Quakers struck a 70-51 title chime Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

Their superior athleticism and relentless pressure proved withering, causing 28 turnovers, including 11 in the second period alone, and numerous second and third rebound chances that turned CV’s 18-13 lead into a 35-23 deficit.

“They denied us the ball,” CV junior point guard Kevin Cameron said. “Their full-court pressure makes it tough to get into an offense. We knew that would happen and had to rely on our shots to fall. They didn’t.”

Early on they did as CV weathered the Quakers’ assault and Cameron and Luke Clift took it to the basket for the early lead.

Clift had 10 first-quarter points and Cameron two running baskets. When Brad Johnson, one of three CV seniors, made good his second two-shot free-throw chance to open the second quarter up five points, the Bears had hope.

But Franklin’s end-to-end pressure defense at times surrounded a CV ballhandler with three black-and-green clad sets of tentacles. Those quick hands produced a wealth of miscues and a 22-7 second-quarter scoring turnaround that in effect settled the outcome.

“We’re a man-to-man defensive team and not real deep,” CV coach Rick Sloan said. “We knew we were going against a physical team like this in Game 4 and it was going to be a struggle. They’re just very good athletes and good defenders and they work hard.”

It led to a lot more shot attempts for the Quakers – 69-37 – and a dozen more field goals. Some came in transition courtesy of 14 steals, some came off the offensive glass and five came from beyond the 3-point arc.

“We always believed if we played hard anything could happen,” Franklin coach Jason Kerr said. “We played hard and here we are.”

Venoy Overton made a great case for MVP of this tournament by scoring 20 points and finishing the four days with a 17.5 average to lead the way.

“I was surprised they played man,” he said. “I’m not going to say they made a mistake, but we took advantage of it.”

The Bears had to work for all the scoring they got, and the bulk of it came from Clift, who finished with 18 before fouling out with 4:50 to play.

After the Bears tearfully accepted second place, they were exhorted by a Franklin assistant to keep their heads up, saying they were an excellent team.

Indeed, these overachievers were technically coming off a 0-21 season, at least administratively.

CV was forced to forfeit last year’s 13-8 record because of an eligibility administrative error involving Clift, but became just the school’s third boys state finalist in 18 trips.

A star on the first, in 1960, was Rick Sloan’s uncle, Larry Sloan.

“To come all this way,” Cameron said, “our heads are down now, but we weren’t just happy to be here.”

“Obviously, this hurts because they are so competitive,” Sloan said. “This team had a lot to be proud of.”

All-Tournament team

First team – Isaiah Thomas, Curtis (MVP); Drew Eisinger, Jackson; Patrick McCollum, Mount Tahoma; Venoy Overton, Franklin; Brian Rucker, Jackson.

Second team – Travis Mattair, Southridge; Luke Clift, Central Valley; Jon Clift, Ferris; Peyton Siva, Franklin; Austin Boyce, Kentwood.