Class 4A boys tournament: Favorites Franklin, Mead avoid upsets

TACOMA — One huge exhale later, the favorites are moving on.

Franklin and Mead, the popular picks to play for this year's big-school state title, both started slowly yesterday but survived first-round challenges and advanced to today's quarterfinals of the Class 4A boys basketball state tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

The top-ranked Quakers (22-2) beat Bethel 71-55 in the tournament's opening game, while the second-ranked Panthers (26-0) pulled away to beat Federal Way 55-42.

"Any tournament, that first game is always the toughest," said Franklin assistant coach Craig Jackson. "Everybody is kind of tight. To be very honest, probably our guys were very nervous. But on any level, you've just got to fight through it."

The day was devoid of major surprises, as all the top-seeded teams advanced.

Joining Franklin and Mead in the quarterfinals are fellow No. 1 seeds Snohomish (21-2) and Kentwood (24-2). Snohomish edged Walla Walla 55-52, and Kentwood pounded Mount Vernon 64-45.

Of the two favorites, however, Mead might have suffered the biggest scare. The Panthers from Spokane trailed Federal Way much of the first half and went into the locker room down, 24-23.

When they came out, Adam Morrison took over. The 6-foot-7 forward, who last month became the all-time leading career scorer in the Greater Spokane League, scored 12 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter and sparked a game-breaking 15-0 run that kept the Panthers perfect.

One day earlier, he had come down with stomach flu. He was ill during most of the bus ride to Tacoma, and according to Coach Glenn Williams, on one stop in Ellensburg was found "hanging over a dumpster."

Still, he carried his team last night, adding 13 rebounds, four blocked shots and two assists to his tournament-high point total.

"We did not shoot the ball particularly well, but the big fella went to work, especially in the second half," Williams said. "That was pretty obvious, wasn't it? That Morrison is pretty good?"

Morrison estimated his strength at about "90 percent" last night. Senior starter Eric Fink fell ill, as well.

"It was a pretty gutsy effort to kind of step out with what they're going through and get that done," Williams said.

Waiting for Mead in today's quarterfinals is two-time defending state champion Lincoln (18-10) of Tacoma, which quietly won its 11th straight state-tournament game, beating Eastlake 76-59.

Playing in the dreaded, "Egg McMuffin" game at 9 a.m., Franklin struggled early against a young Bethel team with three sophomore starters.

But the Quakers, leading 26-24, hit their stride just before halftime, scoring the last five points of the second quarter and 12 of the first 17 points in the third quarter to take a 43-29 lead.

Senior all-American Aaron Brooks led Franklin with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Junior teammate Lyndale Burleson added 13 points and three steals.

"Second half, Coach (Jason Kerr) was just telling us that he wants everybody on the glass (rebounding) and everybody to play real good defense," Burleson said. Three of four teams from Eastern Washington advanced to the quarterfinals, with Central Valley (Veradale), Mead and Pasco winning. The Bears' 61-36 victory over third-ranked South Kitsap was the most impressive, if only because Central Valley shot an amazing 70 percent in the first half.