In its most challenging test of the season, the Redmond boys’ basketball team pushed fourth-ranked Garfield to double overtime before falling short, 67-66, in a 4A Kingco showdown at Garfield High last Saturday night.
The Kingco instant classic was a makeup of a Dec. 19 snowed-out game.
Redmond blasted Newport, 63-39, on Friday night and then almost pulled off the upset of the season on Saturday against the league-leading Bulldogs (11-0 in league, 12-3 overall).
Redmond will have the opportunity for redemption this Friday at home when the Mustangs (7-4, 9-6) take on the Bulldogs again at 8 p.m.
“I think we know we can play with them,” said Redmond coach Jeff Larson. “It’s going to be a real challenge, a test of our conditioning and mental toughness.”
Redmond led 25-20 at halftime, but Garfield, led by senior point guard De’Andre Taylor and sophomore standout Tony Wroten, Jr., the Bulldogs outscored the Mustangs, 19-10, in the third quarter to take a 39-35 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs scored 16 in the final frame to knot the score at 51 at the end of regulation, and seemed poised to pull off the upset.
As the clock ticked down in the first overtime period, Redmond was leading 60-57, but Wroten drained a last-second 3-pointer to send the game into double overtime.
Both teams displayed solid defense during the second overtime, but Garfield’s final possession proved to be the difference as Taylor made a great pass to sophomore guard Glen Brooks for the game-winner with four seconds left.
Senior Justin Alexander scored a team-high 18 while wingman Willie Gonia put in a career-high 17 for the Mustangs. Chris Harrington added 13. Wroten led all scorers with 21.