Slamming the losing streak only the beginning for Huskies

PULLMAN — At the end of the game, at the end of a long losing streak against Washington State, Justin Dentmon was about to convert one final turnover into one last Washington score.

But as he pushed the ball up the floor senior Dentmon, looked over his shoulder and saw junior Quincy Pondexter sprinting behind him.

Instead of taking the guaranteed layup, Dentmon kissed the ball off the glass, and Pondexter thundered a dunk that was the exclamation point on the Huskies' Pac-10 opening win and an emphatic "See ya" to the seven-game losing streak to the Cougs.

The arbiters of good basketball taste would have frowned at the dunk. Teams aren't supposed to flaunt their wins. In almost any other setting, the play would have been considered taunting. But this was different. This dunk was a celebration and an exorcism.

"It was just us playing basketball," Dentmon said after Washington's 68-48 win. "Quincy asked for it and I gave it to him. It wasn't nothing to disrespect anybody."

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar immediately called a timeout to remind his players that he doesn't encourage such late-game hoo-has. Then he excused it, because he knew how much this game meant to two veteran players who'd never beaten the Cougs.

"We don't condone that at all," Romar said. "We called a timeout and some people might think we were rubbing it in, but we addressed that. Now, it looked good. It might be on the highlight film, but it's not something we would like to do."

But this was Washington State which, seven times in a row, had entangled the Huskies in its web of passes and picks and had driven Washington to distraction with its bump-and-grind defense.

This dunk merely was venting, letting off a little steam after three seasons of frustration.

It reminded Romar of a similar breakaway dunk, when 5-foot-8 Nate Robinson threw down at the end of a home win over Oregon in 2004, a salute to Ducks fans who had taunted him in Eugene, hollering, "Ga-ry Cole-man."

Like Pondexter's dunk. It may not have been right, but it was understandable.

Washington found a way to beat the patience out of Washington State. This win was more than a streak-buster, it was a sign Washington (10-3), winner of eight in a row, is growing up.

Since the losses to Kansas and Florida in Kansas City in November, Romar has been preaching patience. "Make the extra pass, make the extra pass" has been the Huskies' mantra.

Against the Cougars, the extra pass was made. Almost nothing was forced. This win was as disciplined a game as Washington has played in a long time.

And the Huskies won without Jon Brockman (10 points, four rebounds) dominating inside. They won without an inside presence from Matthew Bryan-Amaning (no points in 18 minutes).

They won with smarts.

"Justin Dentmon, Venoy Overton and Isaiah Thomas did a marvelous job of pushing the ball, but when nothing was there, just bringing it back out," Romar said of the three guards. "Whereas earlier, we would try to make a home-run play and force the issue and we would come up with turnovers."

It should be noted these Cougars aren't those Cougars. This team is offensively challenged. It doesn't have the options the teams that beat Washington seven times in a row had.

Still, this win was authentic. It was a conference win on a road. It was a sign of life at the beginning of the long road to March.

And the catalyst, as he had to be, was freshman Thomas. He creates shots for Dentmon (17 points). He makes plays when the offense breaks down. The magic in Thomas' game nourishes his teammates.

"Coach is always in my ear about just making winning plays," said Thomas, who had a team-high 19 points and four assists. "I'm just worrying about making the right play at the right time. And I think I'm doing an OK job of that."

Standing alone in the hallway outside the Huskies locker room, Thomas was met by Washington State coach Tony Bennett.

"You make a big difference in this team from last year," Bennett told him.

And this is just the beginning.

Steve Kelley: 206-464-2176 or skelley@seattletimes.com