A.C. Davis Clips Woodinville’s Wings, Draws Bead on WIAA 4A Boys Basketball Crown

A.C. Davis High School's boys basketball team maintained their resiliency and fortitude in Friday's state championship semifinals on the Tacoma Dome, outlasting a tough 19-7 Woodinville Falcons squad, 63-52.

With the win, the Pirates (21-4) punched their ticket to Saturday night's 4A championship game against the top-ranked Federal Way Eagles in the WIAA Hardwood Classic.

The game will be broadcast live on 1460 ESPN Yakima (KUTI-AM) and streamed live at http://www.1460espnyakima.com/listen-live.

Pregame coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. and tipoff is scheduled for 9.

All season long, the Pirates have demonstrated repeatedly that anyone on the roster can step up and score at any time. Every player knows his role and it's that chemistry and cohesiveness that has been special for this team.

Davis relied heavily on those traits Friday night.

Senior team leaders Nikhil Lizotte (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Max Jones (14 points), along with junior guard Nick Navarro -- who scored a team-high 20 points -- seized on moments when it counted most for the Pirates.

One of Davis' biggest challenges came early: the dominating presence of Woodinville's 6-foot-6 junior forward Tony Miller, the team's top scorer and rebounder. It was the primary responsibility for the Bucs to force defensive pressure inside off on Miller's aggressive offensive style. In the first quarter, Davis forced Miller to attack the basket, resulting in shooting 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Miller was the team's top scorer with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the game.

When the shots inside were not falling, Falcons senior forward Lance Coomar made up for it from long range, scoring 11 of the team's 24 first-half points. The Pirates shut down the low paint and perimeter shooters with outstanding defensive decisions, taking Woodinville out of their comfort zones and forcing mistakes.

Though the Pirates' first-half shooting went chilly (6-of-31), their constant defensive pressure kept them in the hunt. They trailed Woodinville by only 24-19 at the intermission.

Davis' relentless switching of matchups and defensive sets caused the Falcons to make mistakes in the second half, which is when the Pirates made their charge. Davis cut Woodinville's lead to 40-38 in the third quarter and then braced for the final eight-minute period.

With Woodinville committing miscue after miscue in the fourth quarter, Davis kept the pressure on defensively. The Bucs outscored Woodinville 25-12 in the final frame to secure their chance at a state title.

The Pirates now shift their focus to their final opponent of the season: a daunting Federal Way squad that in December defeated Davis 88-43 in Yakima.