3A Notes: Crawford's 20 points, Notorious White Board, and More
A review of several sources reveals Vik freshman led all scorers in title game
Upon further review, JJ Crawford’s team-leading 18 points during Rainier Beach’s State 3A championship-game victory was actually 20 points, making him the game’s leading scorer. Lincoln’s Davion Shareef-Dulanaey had 18 points in his team’s 75-53 loss on Saturday in the Tacoma Dome.
Update: We presented the WIAA with the receipts, and they changed the total, officially on Monday. It turns out, Crawford’s dunk late in the second quarter was mistakenly attributed to teammate Kam Babbs.
The Viking freshman’s point total was widely reported, including by me, as 18 points because that is what appeared in the official box score, distributed after the game.
However, in my notes I logged seven field goals (three pull-up jumpers, two dunks, a reverse layup, a follow off a missed dunk), and two 3-pointers. That equals 20 points. Also, the main scoreboard at the Tacoma Dome showed 20 points for Crawford, and the announcers on the NFHS broadcast, who get their statistics from the WIAA scorer, announced 20 points. Video from the game (below) also shows 20 points.
Those two points boost Crawford’s tournament scoring average to 15.0, 13th among all players.
The WIAA has updated the box score, including the link on their detailed bracket.
The Notorious Wipe Board
As I wrote in the South Seattle Emerald, the Vikings were motivated by a message left in their locker room, presumably by the Abes, before the championship game. Players, coaches, and school staff are the only ones who have access, even to the corridor leading to the Tacoma Dome locker rooms.
“It said something like, ‘Davion (Shareef-Dulanaey) is No. 1, Tyran (Stokes) sucks, we’re here to take the ‘ship’,” I wrote, based on the recollection of Micah Illi-Meneese, who was recalling during a raucous championship celebration.
According to a photo from the Rainier Beach party (below), the message actually said, “Davion coming for that Chip. (Tyran) Stokes Fake number 1.”
The prank clearly blew up in the Abes’ faces.
In retaliation, the Rainier Beach defense suffocated the Abes offense. Lincoln’s first point, on a Shareef-Dulanaey free throw, did come until nearly four minutes had elapsed. Lincoln’s first field goal, by Justus Holt, did not come until 39.3 seconds remained in the first period.
The Vikings led 38-8 at halftime. They limited the Abes to 30.8% shooting for the game, forced them into 19 turnovers, and blocked seven of their shots.
Vikings Standings in Tournament Stats
Predictably, Rainier Beach, the team and its players, shined in many statistical rankings for the State 3A Tournament.
As a team, Rainier Beach averaged 77.0 points and gave up an average of 56.7, for a 20.3-point average margin of victory. The Vikings led all teams in field-goal% (54.1), points in the paint (56), assists (49), steals (46), blocks (16), productivity (285), points in a single game (85 vs O’Dea), FG% in a single game (62.7 vs O’Dea), 3-point% in a game (63.6 vs O’Dea), and assists in a game (22 vs O’Dea). Beach had an overwhelming advantage in steals; No. 2 Eastside Catholic was a whole 15 lower at 31.
The productivity statistic gives positive credit for points scored, rebounds, steals, blocks, assists, fouls drawn and charges taken. Credit decreases for “negative stats,” including turnovers, missed shots, missed free throws, and fouls.
Individual categories were dominated by Viking senior Tyran Stokes and junior Micah Ili-Meneese.
For the tournament, Stokes ranked first in productivity (88.5), first by a large margin in assists (6.67 per game; No. 2 Kolven Posey of Auburn Mountainview had a single game with 5), first in total assists (20), No. 1 with most assists in a game (11), third in defensive rebounding (6.67 pg), third in free throws (16), third in defensive rebounds (20), fourth in total rebounding (8.33 pg), fourth in points scored (55), fourth in total rebounds (25), fifth in steals (2.7), sixth in scoring (18.3), seventh in field goals (19), ninth in field-goal% (63.3), 18th in offensive rebounds (9), 21st in minutes (76), 23rd in 3-point% (25.0), 26th in offensive rebounds (1.66 pg), and 33rd in free-throw% (57.1).
Whew.
Ili-Meneese led the tournament in steals (4.7 pg), total steals (14), field-goal% (75.0), field goals made (27), most steals in a single game (6) and ranked second in productivity (82.5), fourth in total points (62), fourth in scoring (20.7 pg), fourth in defensive rebounds (4.0 pg), seventh in offensive rebounding (3.0 pg), eighth in offensive rebounds (9), ninth in blocks (1.3), 10th in defensive rebounds (12), 10th in total rebounds (21), 11th in total rebounding (7.0), 11th in total assists (7), 13th in defensive rebounding (4.0), 13th in free throws (6), 15th in assists (2.33), 18th in minutes played, 23rd in free-throw% (66.7), and 23rd in blocks (1.0).
Crawford finished sixth in 3-pointers made (7), ninth in assists (3.0 pg), ninth in field goals made (18), 13th in scoring (15.0), 16th in productivity (36.5) and 19th in 3-point% (29.2)
Other Vikings who ranked include junior Kam Babbs, who was fifth in 3-point% (50.0), seventh in steals (2.0 pg), 15th in free-throw% (75.0), 16th in 3-pointers (3), 20th in field-goal% (50.0), and 26th in offensive rebounds (1.66 pg). Junior KJ Hightower was seventh in field-goal% (64.3), 14th in free-throw% (75.0), and 25th in steals (1.0).
Wes Armstrong, a junior, finished fifth in field-goal% (64.3), 25th in steals (1.0), and 29th in free-throw% (60.0). Knowledge Wright, a sophomore, was No. 16 in steals (1.67) and Marques Ili-Meneese, a senior, was 20th in defensive rebounding (3.3).
BEACH AT STATE 3A
Three Viks are First Team All-Tourney
Rainier Beach Dominates Lincoln
The Shoes of Ili-Meneese Make a Difference
Viks Led by a Freshman and a Sixth Man
Three Generations of Family Connection