Tibbs rebounds on and off court, Sammamish gets rivalry wins | Best of Bellevue Sports 2013

The moments, stories and triumphs that were the year in Bellevue sports.

By Josh Suman • December 23, 2013 4:46 pm

Comeback story of the year: Marcus Tibbs, Bellevue College basketball

The road to a four-year college basketball program was anything but smooth for Marcus Tibbs.

Academic issues sent Tibbs off the court for two full years before he rejoined the Bellevue College squad in 2012.

Then, just when things seemed to be lining up, the Tibbs’ career got another jolt when a player from Peninsula College hit him with a blindside punch to the face during a dead ball, ending his season and career with the Vikings.

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But thanks to stronger work habits developed during his time away from basketball, Tibbs rebounded off the court as well as he did on it, landing at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

All the while, coaching a youth team made up of several players from the area helped fuel his comeback, and offered a new perspective on the roads basketball could open.

Person of the Year: Maddie Dietz, Newport golf

Missing out on a chance to state is never easy, but carries an extra layer of disappointment for a senior like Maddie Dietz.

The 2013 Newport grad had an outstanding career on the golf course, unseating Redmond as the conference champ and making the trip to state as a junior.

While her final prep match came with a bitter disappointment, as she fell out of contention for a state spot on the back nine, Dietz used it as a chance to put things into the proper perspective.

Surprise of the Year: Totems break streaks, get KingCo wins

Team sports have been anything but kind to the Sammamish Totems in recent years.

But in 2013, unfortunate streaks were broken and the Crossroads Cup returned on the gridiron.

In girls basketball, Sammamish had not won a KingCo game since the 2004-05 school year, until the Totems beat rival Interlake last season.

On the gridiron, the Totems dropped six straight to the Saints before winning a 21-7 game this year over their Crossroads Cup rivals.

The team was also rewarded for its efforts on the field with commemorative uniforms for the Homecoming game, honoring a past tradition and fallen alum.