1A boys: Freeman can’t get shots to fall, loses title game to King’s

YAKIMA – Freeman didn’t have enough to slow down powerful defending champion King’s and the Scotties fell to the Knights, 80-39, in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday night in the Yakima Valley SunDome.

Freeman’s second-place finish is the best in school history. The Scotties finished the year 22-4.

Freeman coach Marty Jessett knew his team would need to be at its sharpshooting best to stay with the tall, talented Knights. Unfortunately, the Scotties were not, hitting just 2 of 13 field goals from 3-point range in the first half when King’s dashed out to a 44-17 lead.

Nate Jacobus nailed a 3-pointer from deep in the left corner with 6:09 remaining in the first period to give Freeman a 3-2 lead. The next made 3-pointer was with 7:08 left in the half. By that time Freeman trailed 26-11.

“That was like playing a small college,” Jessett said with a sigh after the game. “We needed those shots to fall early. We’re usually a good shooting team but not tonight.”

Tournament MVP Corey Kispert led the scoring with 29 points, one of three Knights in double figures. Cole Mitchell added 15 and Koa Wilkins 13. Jacobus, Michael Coumont and Ryan Maine had 11 points each for Freeman.

The 6-foot-6 Kispert is garnering significant recruiting interest from Gonzaga. Zags coaches Mark Few and Tommy Lloyd were in the SunDome for the Saints tourney opener against Zillah before heading to Las Vegas for the West Coast Conference tournament.

King’s has just too much of everything. They held the Scotties to 31 percent shooting and out-rebounded Freeman, 41-25. The Knights shot 50 percent from 3-point range.

“Our kids executed exactly what we asked them to do,” Jessett said. “We’d have looked pretty good if those shots had fallen.”

King’s title game appearance was its fourth straight. They need an appearance next year to tie the 2003-2007 Brewster squads with five straight title game appearances.