Before sinking the game-winning free throw to send the Fort Vancouver Trappers to the Class 1A boys basketball state tournament, Leighton Livengood walked to the Trapper logo at center court, stared up at the north scoreboard that read a 60-all tie with King’s Way Christian in Wednesday’s back-and-forth 1A district semifinal, and took his time walking to the free throw line.
Time remaining: 0.4 seconds.
The crowd: Loudest all game.
Livengood was fouled on a putback attempt off a Fort possession that started with 13.3 seconds remaining following a timeout. The foul by King’s Way left the 6-foot-6 forward on the ground, but Livengood sprinted up and shook off teammates as he focused in on what was at stake.
Why go into overtime when the game’s fate can be sealed now, he thought.
“You dream of this … it’s like a movie,” said Livengood, who poured in a game-high 22 points. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt that nervous in a basketball game, but it felt amazing.
“This is the best feeling I’ve ever had in basketball.”
After missing the first free throw, Livengood sank the second for the 61-60 victory that sent the near-capacity crowd at Fort Vancouver High School into a frenzy.
Fort Vancouver (17-6) secured its first state berth in boys basketball since 1990 when it won the AAA Greater St. Helens and reached the AAA state tournament at Seattle Center Coliseum.
It also will play for the 1A District IV title Saturday against Trico champion Seton Catholic currently scheduled for 7 p.m. at Centralia High.
A teary-eyed James Jones, the first-year Trapper coach, exited the locker room after getting doused with water by players to congratulatories all around, including former teammates off the 2007-’08 that had its season end at bi-districts. Jones was a senior guard on that team coached by current Camas girls coach Scott Thompson.
“It’s emotional,” the coach said, “because we couldn’t do it when I played. … “These moments are so big, and my kids aren’t used to it. It’s almost unbelievable.”
Unbelievable could also be used to describe the electric atmosphere in a back-and-forth game for almost all the 32 minutes Wednesday. Both teams had a week to prepare for their semifinal game after first-round victories; King’s Way’s win over 1A Evergreen League champion Montesano was the upset of the tournament.
Over the final three quarters Wednesday, neither team had a lead larger than five. For the final 4:41 of the game came a sequence of defensive stops, transition buckets and kick-out 3-pointers that ignited both fan bases on every possession.
Isaiah Barajas (15 points) kicked off the fourth quarter with consecutive steals that Fort converted into field goals as part of a quick 6-0 run. But King’s Way continued to answer with clutch plays of its own by Radley Matson-Blighton (23 points), Jackson Lovato (12) and Patrick Carney (10). Carney’s right-corner 3 with 90 seconds left gave King’s Way a 59-58 lead. Both teams converted points on ensuing possessions that set up Livengood staring at the scoreboard
Barajas and Livengood were responsible for 13 of Fort’s 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Fort and King’s Way split their regular-season series, and King’s Way’s victory in early February only fueled the Trappers in their quest for a state berth.
“We had to get our ‘get’ back,” Barajas said, “and do our thing, and go to the district championship.
King’s Way Christian (14-9) faces Tenino in a winner-to-state, loser-out game Saturday in Centralia.
This school year marks the first that Fort Vancouver is a Class 1A school and Trico League member for all sports. Jones believes it’s the right move not just for boys basketball, but for all Fort programs because of the across-the-board competitive balance and equity it provides.
“I’ve been on that side for many years where all we’re hoping for is to compete,” Jones said.
Now, the Trappers will be playing for a 1A district title Saturday and in the Class 1A state tournament beginning next weekend.
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FORT VANCOUVER 61, KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN 60
KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN — Radley Matson-Blighton 23, Reece Johnson 8, Jesse Hartsell 0, Patrick Cartney 10, Jackson Lovato 12, Cooper Sprague 5, Daniel Flores DaSilva 3. Totals 17 (5) 18-23 60.
FORT VANCOUVER — Liam Cvitkovich 5, Samuel Howard 6, Josiah Jointer 5, Isaiah Barajas 15, Isaiah Gonzalez 2, Bernardo Castro 5, Kenan Sabanovic 0, Leighton Livengood 22. Total 21 (6) 12-21 61.
King’s Way 19 13 15 13 – 60
Fort Vancouver 19 11 16 15 – 61
