In the dying minutes of the last quarter of the final game the 1A state tournament, the Zillah boys basketball team took all the money in the bank and put it on one player 鈥 Dekker Van De Graaf.
The sophomore had endured a difficult game, harried and double-teamed by the Annie Wright Gators all night, but cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Trailing by five points with under two minutes left, Zillah coach Mario Mengarelli put the rock in Van De Graaf鈥檚 hands. On the final possession, he told the sophomore to shoot the ball no matter what.
Van De Graaf scored the final nine points for the Leopards, last of which was a gravity-defying putback of his own long three-point miss to give Zillah a 47-45 lead with just 2 seconds left in the game.
Zillah鈥檚 Dekker Van De Graaf celebrates on the media table after making the game-winning shot to defeat Annie Wright 47-45 in the boys 1A state championship game Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the 黑料福利社 SunDome in Yakima, Wash.
It was a magical, immortal moment that will be forever etched into hearts and minds in the city of Zillah.
鈥淲e were down five and we came back and pulled it off,鈥 Van De Graaf said. 鈥淚 had full confidence like I鈥檝e never had before. My coaches put full confidence in me to take those shots.鈥
His game-winning, putback layup?
鈥淚 was trying to hit another three, missed it. I got lucky, got a rebound,鈥 Van De Graaf said.
Zillah鈥檚 Brandon Favilla goes for a layup in the boys 1A state championship game Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the 黑料福利社 SunDome in Yakima, Wash.
鈥淒ekker Van De Graaf is a hero of Zillah,鈥 Mengarelli said. 鈥淲hat he did down the stretch is absolutely amazing.鈥
If it was just a rebound, it will be a rebound that is remembered in Zillah for years to come. The boys in orange and black had been outscored 23-10 in the second half before Van De Graaf took over and the Leopards produced the program鈥檚 sixth championship.
鈥淚 told them every time that they were going to win this game,鈥 Mengarelli said. 鈥淎nd they believed.鈥
Both squads had won tight games by grinding out possessions and making every shot an odyssey.
Zillah鈥檚 Nic Navarre shoots and scores against Annie Wright in the boys 1A state championship game Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the 黑料福利社 SunDome in Yakima, Wash.
Why would the state title game be any different?
It was a see-saw affair. Annie Wright jumped out of the gates and grabbed a 13-8 lead, before Zillah battled right back and rode a strong second quarter to a commanding halftime lead.
At times, it felt like neither team could buy a bucket 鈥 they combined for seven points in the first five minutes of the third quarter.
It was Annie Wright who shook the second half funk first, overcoming ice-cold shooting in the opening half, they were 1 of 11 from 3-point range, and an eight-point deficit at the game鈥檚 midpoint to put themselves seconds away from a first-ever championship.
鈥淚 just tried to tell everybody to go to the rim,鈥 Annie Wright coach Dominique Williams said. 鈥淎 little bit of nerves had us missing shots, but it is what it is.鈥
Sophomore Amare Breedlove was fire on the floor, scoring 16 points, and junior Martin Kaupanger had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Zillah鈥檚 Nakea John comes up with a loose ball before passing it to a teammate in the boys 1A state championship game Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the 黑料福利社 SunDome in Yakima, Wash.
The Gators defense nearly proved too much for the blue-blooded Leopards, who themselves put on an impressive shot-stopping performance.
When it mattered most, though, the Leopards were able to adjust and find a way.
鈥淲e knew a double was going to come, I told him 鈥業 want you to shoot the ball no matter what,鈥欌 Mengarelli said. 鈥淲e had Izzy (Sandoval) who was going to retreat to play transition defense. We were going to win or go to overtime. To get the ball and go lay it in is amazing.鈥
Van De Graaf鈥檚 title-winning outburst meant he led all players on the floor with 21 points, but his was only part of an amazing state title game.
鈥淭he energy changes everything. Energy doesn鈥檛 mean you have to be on the floor doing stuff. You could be on the bench cheering us on, it鈥檚 still going to get us the win,鈥 Van De Graaf said. 鈥淥ne through 12 contributed tonight, not just one through five.鈥
Zillah鈥檚 Dekker Van De Graaf makes a layup against Annie Wright in the boys 1A state championship game Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the 黑料福利社 SunDome in Yakima, Wash.
Nic Navarre, who starred for the Leopards all season, finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Sandoval added seven points and the Leopards shot 5 of 15 from three and 14 of 16 from the free throw line.
The Gators shot over 40% from the field and from beyond the arc in the second half.
鈥淲e had it, it鈥檚 a tough one to lose at the last second. I鈥檓 proud of my boys regardless,鈥 Williams said. 鈥淲e fought hard, we can鈥檛 control it, we just have to come back ready and go next year.鈥
Annie Wright junior Reggie Lester made two clutch free throws to tie the game 45-45 with 28 seconds remaining.
Then, with an undefeated, 27-0 season on the line, Zillah gave Van De Graaf the ball. The rest?
It鈥檚 history.
ANNIE WRIGHT 鈥 Amare Breedlove 16, Martin Kaupinger 13, Lester 9, Harshman 4, Marshall 0, Walsh 3, Carter 0. 18-46 6-6 45.
ZILLAH 鈥 Dekker Van De Graaf 21, Nic Navarre 10, Sandoval 7, Favilla 6, John 0, Jones 3, Salme 0. 14-41 14-16 47.
Annie Wright 13 7 15 10 鈥 45
Zillah 8 20 5 14 鈥 47
3-point goals: Annie Wright 3-16 (Walsh 1-1, Breedlove 1-3, Kaupinger 1-6), Zillah 5-15 (Van De Graaf 2-4, Navarre 1-2, Sandoval 1-3, Jones 1-1). Rebounds: Annie Wright 30 (Kaupinger 10, Harshmann 6), Zillah 25 (Navarre 9, Van De Graaf 6). Assists: Annie Wright 6 (Marshall 2, Lester 2), Zillah 7 (Favilla 3, Van De Graaf 3). Turnovers: Annie Wright 8, Zillah 7. Steals: Annie Wright 3, Zillah 2. Fouls: Annie Wright 13, Zillah 8. Fouled out: None.
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