Boys notebook: Tacoma's turnstiles turn

TACOMA — While the organization that oversees high-school sports in Washington considers tweaking the state basketball tournaments, the turnstiles here are turning.

Attendance at the first two days of the Class 4A boys and girls tournaments was up from last year. Tournament Manager Jim Shaner said yesterday that total attendance for the first two days of the 4A tournament was up more than 1,200 over last year. Two-day attendance was 17,139 this year, compared to 15,903 in 2002. Wednesday's 4A attendance was 9,830 (up from 8,955 last year) and Thursday's was 7,309 (up from 6,948).

However, crowds at the Class 3A tournament last week at the Tacoma Dome were down from last year. Attendance for all four days of the 3A tournament was 26,365, which was down 4,185 from 2002 attendance of 30,550.

This year's 3A per-day average was 6,591 compared to the 4A average so far of 8,569.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is considering proposals to change the state-tournament format to single elimination for 2005-05 and possibly revise the schedule to allow for a "Super Saturday" of championship games at one site, Class 4A through 1A. The successful Class B events in Spokane would not change.

Most of the changes are financially driven. A recent WIAA study showed that overall state-tournament expenses rose nearly 12.5 percent from 1998-99 to 2001-02. Meanwhile, revenues decreased more than 8 percent. Attendance has dropped by an average of 10 percent.

Mike Colbrese, the WIAA's executive director, stressed this week in Yakima that this is simply a proposal and one of several that will be considered by the Executive Board.

Young Bethel goes down

South Kitsap eliminated Bethel for the second straight year. The Braves start three sophomores and were the youngest team in the tournament. Their youthful trio — point guard Jordan Sutton, guard Jamil Turner and 6-8 center Brandon Moore — combined for 20 of Bethel's 36 points yesterday.

The Braves, who were making their fifth consecutive trip to the state tournament, listed four sophomores on the roster.

"I think they did a good job all year," Coach Pat Mullen said of his sophomores. "We got better and better every game. Now, the key is, are they going to get better? They're great kids. They all have a good work ethic."

Refereeing 101

Before the start of every season, officials are required to pass an open-book exam consisting of 100 true-or-false questions. A sample question:

Q: There is a loose ball on the floor. A1 dives to the ground to retrieve the ball. While on the floor holding the live ball, A1's momentum causes him to slide approximately 4 feet. Official calls traveling violation. Was the official correct?

A: No, because the player's axis has not changed. As long as the player maintains the same primary point of contact with the ground as when he first fell, he can slide indefinitely without traveling.

Beitinger hits milestone

South Kitsap junior Jacob Beitinger reached a personal milestone yesterday, scoring his 1,000th career point on a three-pointer from the left wing with 2:57 to play in the first quarter. Beitinger, who has struggled with his shot throughout the tournament, finished with five points on 1-of-7 shooting, giving him 1,002 points for his career.

"It's always great to reach those kinds of things, but stats don't always tell a lot about the game," said Beitinger, a 6-8 forward. "But it is kind of cool. You've got to be proud of that."

Beitinger has drawn interest from colleges around the country, but said he is waiting until after the season to narrow his choices.

Notes

• Since the first state tournament in 1923, no school has won the big-school (now called 4A) event three years in a row. Lincoln of Tacoma was bidding to become the first school to do it but favored Mead vaporized those dreams Thursday with a 68-60 win.

• Franklin's black warm-up T-shirts read: "You ready? Bring it!"

• Scott Fetterly and Joe Guerra will referee tonight's title game. Fetterly is a Seattle-area official, while Guerra is from West Sound.

• Seven members of the Walla Walla basketball team played on the Blue Devils football team that made it all the way to the semifinals.

• Mead assistant coach Pat Clark returned to Spokane yesterday after his 3-month grandson, who had been born with birth defects, died.

Yakima Herald-Republic staff reporter Scott Spruill contributed to this report.