The Bellevue High School boys basketball team clinched its fourth straight KingCo league title on Feb. 11 in a 72-66 victory over Liberty High School in overtime.
The Wolverines have dominated Liberty over the past three seasons and especially in title games. Since 2022, Bellevue has an 11-1 record against Liberty and in KingCo championships has beaten Liberty in that game four consecutive championship games.
The first quarter was a back and forth affair as the teams were dead level at 13. No Wolverine really got going, and Nick Norrah was the only Bellevue player to record multiple made baskets early.
Wolverine duo Jackson Skaggs and Tayten Jones both had 10-point first-half performances to help put Bellevue in front 33-25 at the halftime break.
The lifeline for Bellevue was Eduardo Molina in the third quarter on the offensive side of the floor. Molina’s six points were 42% of the Wolverines’ 14 points in the third quarter as the defense continued to give Liberty problems. Bellevue held the Patriots to under 14 points in each of the first three quarters.
Liberty also struggled from beyond the arc against the Wolverines, shooting just 4 for 26 in the five quarters against Bellevue.
Bellevue nearly threw away this year’s KingCo championship in the fourth quarter after playing pretty dominant for the first three quarters. Liberty scored 21 points and sliced a 10-point deficit with 2:18 remaining in the game to force overtime.
The Wolverines were outscored 12-2 in the final 2:18 of regulation. But in overtime, the defense returned along with offensive execution. Five different Wolverines scored in overtime, and the Wolverines were able to overcome missing five straight free throws, while Liberty was still in contention to win the game.
Junior Avery Carter scored after through contact, then converted the free throw for the 3-point play. The Wolverines carried that momentum to their fourth league title in a row.
Bellevue will play their first game of the District 2 tournament on Feb. 17 at West Seattle High School with their opponent TBD.
First year head coach Warren King celebrates winning his first KingCo championship. Ben Ray / The Reporter
