The winning formula with the Union boys basketball team come playoff time is no different than another regular-season game, really, for the 4A Greater St. Helens League champions.
Find the hot hand.
Yet, in Thursday’s 4A bi-district opener against Olympia, not only was it Zach Reznick stepping it up a notch — his 23 points being a career-high — but he also had plenty of help in the Titans’ 72-48 home win over the Bears.
“Whoever is shooting well,” said Reznick, “we make sure to find the hot hand.”
Teammate Cameron Cranston shared game-high honors with Reznick, scoring eight of his 23 points in the third quarter when the Titans shot a sizzling 10 of 14 from field to outscore Olympia 24-9 to take a commanding 60-34 lead into the fourth quarter.
Union’s victory sends the Titans (16-3) to Saturday’s quarterfinal where they’ll face Bellarmine Prep of Tacoma at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Tacoma’s Mount Tahoma High School in a winner-to-state game.
Reznick’s basket to begin the third quarter began a 14-2 Titans run spanning the first 4:47 of the quarter. Whether it was backdoor cuts inside, or open 3-pointers through an extra pass, the Titans were doing just about everything right in the third.
After Olympia got within five at one point in the second quarter, Union coach Blake Conley called the first four minutes of the third “hitting the playoff gear.”
His counterpart, Bears coach John Kiley, said the following: “The scoreboard seemed to stop (for us).”
For a team known for its 3-point shooting all season — and with a handful of West Central District coaches in attendance scouting the Titans — Union can only get more dangerous as well-balanced as it played Thursday, said Cranston, the two-time 4A GSHL MVP.
“What can you stop if you can’t stop inside or outside?” he asked after the game.
Good point. Of Cranston’s four third-quarter field goals, three were inside the paint. His turnaround jumper with 1 minute, 48 seconds to go in the third made it a 54-29 game.
As much as Conley was impressed with Reznick’s offensive performance, it was his defensive game that Conley also made a point of emphasis. The junior guard had four steals and his rebounding also started numerous fastbreak opportunities.
Not bad for a player who two days earlier took a tooth to the right side of his forehead by a scout-team freshman in practice in preparation for the Bears. The butterfly bandage was evidence of the blow.
“Hopefully by Saturday,” Reznick said, “it will be all scabbed up.”
UNION 72, OLYMPIA 48
OLYMPIA — Shafer 2, Sipe 10, Rouse 13, Young 5, Kiley 5, Bowser 2, Miller 7, Wood 4. Totals 19 (4) 4-6 48
UNION — Kiethen Shepard 2, Zach Reznick 23, Cameron Cranston 23, Tyler Combs 5, Jason Franklin, Jr. 6, Cole Susee 4, Austin Lewis 4, Jalen Brown 2, Kai Gamble 3. Totals 27 (9) 9-12 72
Olympia 13 12 9 14–48
Union 23 13 24 12–72
