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High School Sports
Notebook: Beach aims to avenge '03 loss to Cleveland

By Sandy Ringer
Seattle Times staff reporter

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Related stories King Holiday Hoopfest schedule

Expect a little extra fire. A little more desire.

When the top-ranked Rainier Beach boys basketball team plays No. 11 Cleveland today at 4:30 p.m. in the King Holiday Hoopfest at Edmundson Pavilion, the Vikings will have some added incentive.

More than just the opportunity to play in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King as part of a seven-game lineup. More than a chance to remain perfect in Metro League play.

Much more, according to Beach coach Mike Bethea.

"This is probably our first real big game of the year," he said.

Bigger than those games they played against other nationally ranked teams from coast to coast over the holidays. Why? Because the Vikings (11-1 overall, 8-0 Metro) still haven't forgotten what happened a little over a year ago, when Cleveland pulled its biggest upset in two decades with a 65-60 victory over Rainier Beach.

"There are still a lot of memories of last year's game," Bethea said. "Cleveland knocked us off ... The kids who were part of the team last year haven't lost sight of that."

It proved to be the only in-state loss for the Vikings, also nationally ranked at the time. They came back to beat Cleveland in the rematch, 88-74, and went on to win a second consecutive 3A state championship.

But that sour taste lingers and the Vikings are determined not to swallow another loss.

For Cleveland, the game ends a grueling schedule of three games in four days, two of them against top-10 teams. The Eagles (9-3, 6-2) beat Blanchet Friday and lost 72-36 to No. 8 O'Dea on Saturday night. Now Rainier Beach.

"We'll really kind of see what we're made of," Cleveland coach Calvin Johnson said.

Notes

• O'Dea (10-2) will be back in action, too, facing another tough test. The Irish play Kentwood (8-1) in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap. The Conquerors were the preseason No. 1 in 4A, but fell to No. 5 last week after losing to now No. 4 Auburn.

• This is the seventh annual King Holiday Hoopfest. A special tribute to Dr. King, featuring the Garfield Gospel Choir, is scheduled at 5:45 p.m.

• The only girls game matches No. 2 Redmond (10-0) against Kentlake (6-3) at 1 p.m. The Falcons are coming off an upset victory over No. 14 Kentwood on Friday, handing the Conquerors their first loss of the season.

• Another of the intriguing boys games pits No. 10 Kent-Meridian (7-3) against Garfield (4-5) at 6 p.m. Al Hairston, in his first season as coach at K-M, guided Garfield to five state championship from 1980 to '91. Garfield (4-5) has struggled, but was able to knock off No. 8 and previously unbeaten Inglemoor on Friday.

Other tournament

TOURNEYTOWN.COM SHOOTOUT

Today at Yakima SunDome

10:30 a.m., girls — Riverside Christian (Yakima) vs. Sunnyside Christian.

12:15 p.m., boys — Riverside Christian vs. Sunnyside Christian.

2 p.m., boys — Seattle Christian vs. Granger.

3:45 p.m., girls — West Valley (Yakima) vs. Central Valley (Veradale).

5:30 p.m., girls — Brewster vs. Burbank.

7:30 p.m., boys — West Valley (Yakima) vs. Brewster.

Watch on the Web

Follow the Rainier Beach- Cleveland game beginning at 4:30 p.m. today. Go to seattletimes.com/sports

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company