KingCo 3A Boys | Whew! Bellevue survives in marathon

SAMMAMISH — Their faces red, their breaths long, Bellevue's Matt Olson and Phillip Bach remembered the best part of their three-overtime escape Tuesday night in Skyline's gym.

When they could finally sit down.

"We are beat," Bach said.

But not beaten. For 44 minutes, Bellevue and Skyline fought for lone hold of second place in KingCo 3A, but the Wolverines broke away in the third overtime for a 93-86 win.

"That was one heck of a high-school basketball game," Bellevue coach Chris O'Connor said. "I'd rather see that than go to an NBA game."

Bellevue already had a short bench going into the game because two players — including starting point guard Cam Warren — had been suspended for violating the school's athletic code, O'Connor said. Bach and forward Colton Christian played every minute. Olson played all but two minutes, and his legs cramped at the end.

Yet it was those three tired Wolverines, all at least 6 feet 4, who each scored during a seven-point run that put Bellevue ahead 86-80. Those three also combined for 57 Bellevue points, with Olson leading the way with 23.

The Wolverines secured the win by holding Skyline to only two field goals in the final overtime.

"Really," O'Connor said, "it came down to defense, and getting stops when you needed them."

Bellevue (14-2, 10-2 KingCo 3A) seemed to have the game won at the end of the first overtime, leading 72-69 with six seconds left after guard Aaron Bright made the first of two free throws.

But he missed the second, and Skyline's Chris Garton darted the other direction. With a second left, he passed to Nick Crossan on the baseline. Crossan, who earlier missed a shot to win it in regulation, floated in a three-pointer while falling out of bounds.

"That was all God," said Crossan, who led Skyline with 26 points. "I don't know how I made it. That was one in a million."

That led to a second overtime, which Skyline led 78-77 until Christian made one of two free throws with seven seconds left. Garton raced back but missed a running layup at the buzzer, sending the game to a third overtime.

After Tuesday's marathon, neither team gets to rest for long. Both teams play tonight in games rescheduled because of Monday morning's snowfall. Skyline plays Newport; Bellevue plays Interlake.

"I'll probably have to go get a massage before that one," Olson said.