Garfield stops Rainier Beach

TACOMA, Wash. – Jaylen Nowell scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to help Garfield beat Rainier Beach 66-51 for the State 3A boys’ basketball championship on Saturday night at the Tacoma Dome.

Nowell, a 6-5 sophomore who also had 10 rebounds, scored 10 in the final 4:27 of the game after Rainier Beach had tied the game at 49 – the eighth tie of the second half – with 5:20 remaining.

He stole the ball and scored on a three-point play to put Garfield up by three and added two free throws a minute later to make it 54-49 with 3:18 left.

Garfield, which won the State 4A title last year, ended Rainier Beach’s state championship winning streak at three.