by Brian Turrel
Tuesday evening’s 52-47 victory over the Mill Valley Jaguars will take the Washington Wildcats to the KSHSAA 5A state semi-finals in Emporia.
The quarter-final victory came after a pulse-pounding fourth quarter, where Washington held off a late Mill Valley charge. The Jaguars narrowed a 12-point lead to 2 in just a few minutes, but the Wildcats held strong and closed out the game with defense and timely baskets.
Washington senior guard Kyren Angelo was king of the court in the first quarter. Mill Valley’s 2-3 zone defense gave Angelo just enough space, and he made the most of it. He hit 4 three-point shots and was fouled on another, taking 3 more points at the free throw line.
Nathan Johnson provided early power inside, at one point dunking directly over a Mill Valley defender. Johnson left the game when he came down awkwardly on his ankle late in the first quarter. He appeared after the game on crutches, with the ankle heavily iced.
Mill Valley’s defense locked down on Angelo in the second quarter, but senior Trayon Grant took advantage by hitting two three-pointers of his own. Washington took a 41-27 advantage to the locker room.
In the third quarter, Washington slowed its offense. The clock burned, but the offense cooled as Mill Valley created turnovers off the Washington ball-handlers.
Mill Valley added a backcourt press in the fourth quarter, and the seemingly secure double-digit lead evaporated, down to 4 points with four minutes remaining. The Mill Valley crowd of about a hundred got louder and louder as the gap closed, echoing in the mostly empty field house.
Trayon Grant and Trayvon Foster hit key baskets to keep the Jaguars out of reach. Mill Valley had only one possession where it could have tied or taken the lead, but a Washington defensive stop put an end to it.
Angelo led all scorers with 19 points for the game, all but 2 in the opening quarter. Grant poured in 15 points, and Foster scored 8.
Washington (10-4) will face off against the 21-2 Maize Eagles. The semifinal match will take place at 3 p.m. Friday at White Auditorium in Emporia.
