State 4A Boys: Ryan Carney sparks Gonzaga Prep in overtime, Bullpups down Glacier Peak 62-50 to reach title game

TACOMA – The Gonzaga Prep boys basketball program has won three state championship games in coach Matty McIntyre’s first 15 years as the head coach, in 2011 and with Anton Watson in 2018 and ’19.

But this season might be McIntyre and his staff’s most impressive coaching performance of all. The Bullpups lost two of their best players – senior post Nate Christy and junior sharpshooter Dylynn Groves – even before school started in the fall.

Regardless, G-Prep entered districts with just two out-of-state losses on the season. And when the Bullpups knocked off Richland in the District 6 championship in a battle of the top two teams in the state RPI system, they justifiably earned the top seed to the state tourney.

Every game they play they are underestimated, yet they just continue to win.

For the second consecutive day it took overtime to settle it, but once the Bullpups reached the extra session on Friday, they dominated.

Ryan Carney scored seven of his 14 points in OT and the Bullpups (25-2) beat the third-seeded Glacier Peak Grizzlies 62-50 in a State 4A semifinal at the Tacoma Dome on Friday.

Gonzaga Prep (25-2) faces eighth-seeded Puyallup in the championship game at 9 p.m. Saturday. The Bullpups beat the Vikings 56-54 in the opening round.

“We went to overtime against Auburn (in the semifinal), and I think we had two or three overtime games during the season,” Carney said. “I think just staying calm and learning how to play in those situations has helped us.”

The Bullpups had four in double figures, including Carter Nilson with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Brogan Howell, who made four straight free throws in overtime to provide a cushion.

“I’ve used this before, but winning ugly is just fine,” McIntyre said. “It’s not about the style. Glacier Peak does things very similar (to us) with slowing the tempo down and making it a possession game. But we made some big shots there at the end.”

G-Prep scored the first seven points in overtime. Carney drove the lane for a contested layup on the first possession, then he hit a corner 3-pointer the next time down to set the tone.

“It was overtime – there’s nerves that come into it,” Carney said. “So, it was good to get that first one to go down so our team could loosen up, get that first two points so we can keep punching.”

“What Ryan did on the hard take on the first possession is the key,” McIntyre said, “and then he knocked down the 3 in the half-court trap offense. I mean big-time guts by him. He really stepped up.”

The Bullpups swarmed Glacier Peak on the other end, forcing two turnovers and a couple of rushed 3-point attempts.

“We love playing defense, and we love trying to keep the games low,” Carney said. “Sometimes we’re not hitting shots, like we were in the first half, but we’re able to stay in the game because we’re able to play D.”

G-Prep trailed by two after the first quarter, but Glacier Peak scored the first 11 points of the second. The Bullpups made a 9-1 run and were down five at halftime.

“We got off to a really slow, agonizing start, and the kids just kept battling, battling,” McIntryre said. “We know it’s a long game, and we’ve got tough-minded kids.”

It stayed within a few points either way the rest of the way. Down by three near the end of regulation, Gonzaga Prep scored its last five points from the line, including a pair by Howell with 38 seconds left, to prompt overtime.

“That’s a testament to the kids,” McIntyre said. “That’s certainly nothing that the coaches have done – that’s just instilled in the kids growing up. It’s been a really tight-knit group, very connected, and we’ve been in these kind of games before. So maybe they feel comfortable, maybe more comfortable than I do, but they did it.”