Photos: Shorecrest's final game of the post-season

Phillip Pepple signals for the ball down low in the paint on the opening possession for the Scots.
Photo by Geoff Vlcek

WIAA State Basketball Tournament
Boys' 3A Basketball First Round
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Tacoma Dome

Shorecrest     12      8     10     22     54
Stanwood        9     25    13     17     62


By Frank Workman

A glorious season ended with a resounding thud Wednesday night when the Shorecrest boys basketball team came a cropper against the Stanwood Spartans, 64-52 in the first round of the 3A State Tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

The Scots finished the year at 22-3, with two of their losses coming against Stanwood, the other at the hands of Mountlake Terrace. They notched wins against all four of the 4A teams they faced.

Simon Acker shoots a free throw after being fouled.
Photo by Geoff Vlcek

The last four minutes of the first half spelled doom for the Scots, as they committed turnovers on 7 straight possessions. The Spartans were able to break open a close game, extending their 17-16 lead midway through the second period to a 34-20 halftime lead.

Normally reliable guards Chris Lee and Malcolm Rosier-Butler couldn't have picked a worse night to go ice cold, combining for a measly 5 for 27 shooting from the field.

Philip Pepple did his level best to pick up his struggling teammates, scoring 16 points, hauling down 12 rebounds, and blocking 7 shots.

Simon Acker shoots the ball over multiple defenders late in the game.
Photo by Geoff Vlcek

Simon Acker grabbed 8 rebounds and scored 9 points, falling just shy of a double-double in his final game. The slender Stanford-bound senior scholar reflected after the game what the experience of playing on his high school team had meant to him.

"I loved having these cool guys for teammates and hanging around with them, guys I wouldn't have gotten to be with if not for basketball. And getting to compete for my school and help elevate school spirit is something I'll always remember".

Malcolm Rosier-Butler and Chris Lee greet each other one last time
as the final seconds tick away in their last high school game together.
Photo by Geoff Vlcek

Stanwood coach Zach Ward, gracious in victory, shared his thoughts on going up against the Scots.

"Shorecrest is very well coached. Coach Fischer makes you do things you don't want to do. They have three scorers who are hard to stop. We were lucky they didn't shoot well tonight, unlike how they shot in the District championship game against us."

The Spartans' reward for eliminating the Scots? They have a 5:30 quarter-final game Thursday against Nathan Hale, the #1 ranked team in the USA.

Hale enjoyed the benefit of the statistical anomaly of having seven (7) players happen to transfer to the home of the Raiders in the off-season.