Full Court Press Join us this season as we bring you almost-live commentary from select boys and girls basketball games.

February 08, 2005

Coming soon

We'll be at the Class 3A state basketball tournament March 2-5 and Class 4A from the 9th-12th, providing live game action via Webcast all day every day. See you then!

Posted by Spike at 01:30 PM

February 04, 2005

Final: Roosevelt 81, Franklin 61

Rough Riders continue their mastery over the Quakers.

Posted by bpayne at 10:06 PM

Ready to get sweaty boys?

Roosevelt brings in its lean and mean reserves to carve out the final 1:12 of the game, as does Franklin. Marcus Williams finished with 48 points, three dunks, too many rebounds to count, a pocket full of assists and two missed shots from the field. Teammate Chris Chase finished with 17. David Grant had eight. For Franklin, Richie Phillips finished with 15 points, as did Venoy Overton. Rough Riders fans trickle onto the court and do a rendition of the circle jump, as their No. 7-ranked team triumphs over the third-ranked Quakers and lay claim to a season sweep.

Posted by Spike at 09:50 PM

Update

Rough Riders lead 72-55 with 3:12 remaining. Marcus Williams has 44 points.

Posted by Spike at 09:39 PM

Breaking it down

No. 7 Roosevelt is six minutes away from what looks to be a lopsided upset over third-ranked Franklin. The Rough Riders lead 66-53 with five minutes remaining.

Posted by Spike at 09:34 PM

End of the third

Rough Riders lead Quakers 64-48. Marcus Williams just picked up his fourth foul and is on the bench now. He's already matched his season high with 40 points and as near as I can tell, has missed one shot from the field that he wasn't fouled on. The Quakers could have a chance to put a run together with Williams out, but Chris Chase keeps it going with a bucket and his 16th point of the game.

Posted by Spike at 09:25 PM

Roosevelt pulling away

Once again, a Marcus Williams highlight. He is fouled hard enough to be knocked down on a long jumper. He muscled the shot through and into the basket, which was close to the three-point line. His shooting is almost perfect for the game and he's got 38 points now as the Rough Riders lead 57-46 with two minutes left in the third period.

Posted by Spike at 09:19 PM

Start of the third

Marcus Williams comes out, dunks the ball, scores a layin on the next possession and hits a jumper from the field after that. He's up to 33 points and I don't believe I've seen him miss more than one shot from outside five feet all night. Roosevelt leads 48-40 with just under five minutes remaining in the third period.

Posted by Spike at 09:11 PM

End of the second period

The game is knotted 38-38 at the half. Marcus Williams has 27 points for Roosevelt. Teammates Chris Chase and David Grant have nine and four points respectively. Franklin's game so far has been fueled by Venoy Overton, who has 10 points and big man Richie Philips getting it done inside while adding nine. There is no keeping up with Williams. His play obviously opens up the game for his teammates. Maybe that's slow to develop sometimes early on in games but certainly seems to be the case.

Posted by Spike at 08:58 PM

Franklin comes back

But wait. Marcus Williams hits a trey to give the Rough Riders a 36-33 lead with just under two minutes left in the second.

Posted by Spike at 08:51 PM

Game tightens up

Marcus Williams is really showing a full display of skills here tonight. He's showing that he can be unselfish, giving the dish to teammates on the perimeter while setting up underneath for a rebound. He's gotten teammate Chris Chase into the game now with a few assists and now Chase has nine points. Williams just missed a behind-the-head dunk, which would have been his second slam of the game. He tapped the ball to a teammate amid defenders, circled back around, received a pass back and layed the ball in. The Rough Riders, with 22 points from Williams and the other nine from Chase, lead Franklin 31-28 with 3:53 left in the second.

Posted by Spike at 08:47 PM

End of first period

Franklin leads 27-20 behind Venoy Overton's 10 points. Marcus Williams has 16.

Posted by Spike at 08:38 PM

Quakers holding their lead

Roosevelt looks outmanned right now. David Grant and Chris Chase have combined for two points so far. Players from both teams are flying back and fourth at a feverish pace. Every time Marcus Williams scores a short-range bucket, Franklin players sprint back down to the other end of the court, forcing a fast-paced game that favors the more athletic Quakers. Franklin leads 21-13 with 1:15 left in the first.

Posted by Spike at 08:35 PM

Franklin pulls ahead

Venoy Overton has five points now. Despite being 5-11, he's tasked with guarding Marcus Williams. Williams looks so much better than the rest of the players out here tonight. He's got an effortless six points. Roosevelt trails 12-6 with 4:16 left in the first.

Posted by Spike at 08:29 PM

Franklin up 3-2

Franklin is banging inside the box already as Marcus Williams is fouled down low and converts a pair of free throws for the first points of the game. Venoy Overton hits a trey for the Quakers and raises his arms to the Franklin fans as he runs down court. Overton averages 16 points per game. Richie Phillips uses all 6 feet, 8 inches to block a Roosevelt shot and both teams are still trying to find a groove early on.

Posted by Spike at 08:24 PM

Franklin preview

How could Franklin follow in the footsteps of its 2003 state championship team, featuring Oregon Ducks star Aaron Brooks? That year, the Quakers had a scare in the second round of the tournament, in a game against Pasco. I was there Webcasting the event and late in the game, Pasco had the momentum and the lead. Then Aaron Brooks hit back-to-back three-pointers and Franklin edged the Bulldogs 55-52 – it’s closest game of the tournament. The Quakers beat Gonzaga star Adam Morrison and the Mead Panthers in the finals, 67-55. Morrison scored 37 points, Brooks had 38. Last season, Franklin lost in the first round of the state tournament to Bethel, 60-55 and then were eliminated by none other than Pasco in the second round in a score almost identical to their matchup the year before, 54-52. The only league loss for the Quakers this season: Roosevelt. It’s payback city here tonight for Franklin. Let the games begin.

Posted by Spike at 08:15 PM

Roosevelt preview

Roosevelt is 17-24 the past three seasons with a 2-4 record against Franklin. One of those wins came this year for the Rough Riders, when Marcus Williams, who holds the region’s highest average per game at 30.1, threw down 40 points in a 66-64 win over the Quakes on January 7. Williams, a 6-7 do-it-all player, will suit up for Arizona next year. Before then, he hopes to extend Roosevelt’s 10-0 league record with a win tonight over Franklin, which is coming off a 2003 state title and two-and-out showing at the state tourney last year. Senior Chris Chase had a big game in the last meeting against against the Quakers. He has an undiagnosed problem in his leg that could be a stress fracture. Roosevelt will need him to stay healthy down the stretch and continue to average his 10 points per game. Despite his size, the 6-foot-4 Chase has been solid in rebounding. Williams and Chase, along with 6-6 David Grant, provide the push for the Rough Riders, who average 61 points per game. Two of Roosevelt’s three non-league losses this season have been to top-ranked South Kitsap, 58-64 and 45-50.

Posted by Spike at 08:09 PM

The countdown is on

The old Lincoln gym here in Wallingford is filling as seconds remain in the Franklin-Roosevelt girls game. The bleachers are pulled out to within 5 feet of the side court. Those entering the side of the building have to weave inbetween player benches and cheerleaders to get to their seats in the stands. Concessions here are off the hook in terms of price. I picked up a bottle of water and four red ropes for $1.25 and thought I was stealing. So I'm set up underneath and off to the side of one of the baskets, at a desk with Times staffer Matt Peterson. We've run an extension cord about 10 feet to an actual desk that our laptops both sit on. The cheerleaders are in full stride now as Roosevelt holds a two-point lead with 43 seconds left in the game. The Roosevelt band is here tonight, having received two technical fouls so far this season. A short shot from under the basket is missed by a Franklin player that would have tied the game. Rough Riders fans jump from their seats to cheer as the band fires off a celebratory chorus. Players shake hands, fans shift around in their seats and the boys run onto the court from opposite corners. Warmups commence as the girls leave the floor. A different energy has filled the air now. Band still playing, fans chanting and hopping around in the bleachers, movement and activity everywhere. The show has begun. We're 17 minutes away from tipoff.

Posted by Spike at 08:08 PM

Slight delay getting under way ...

... but things should get going soon.

Posted by bpayne at 08:08 PM

February 03, 2005

Note on game location

With the Roosevelt gymnasium under construction, the Rough Riders play their home games at the old Lincoln site in Wallingford. The address is 4400 Interlake Avenue.

Posted by Spike at 02:44 PM

February 01, 2005

Coming Friday

The third-ranked Franklin boys hoops team travels to No. 7 Roosevelt for a rematch following a Rough Riders win over the Quakers 66-64 on Jan. 7. Roosevelt's standout guard, 6-foot-7 Marcus Williams averages 29.8 points per game but showed up big in the first contest against the Quakers with 40 points. Venoy Overton scored 19 for the Quakers against Roosevelt. He's scored in double digits every game but one this season and he'll have several teammates to help, who can also put up big numbers. We'll be at the game for early commentary and live for tipoff at 8 p.m. as state tournament fever begins its march toward the Tacoma Dome.

Posted by Spike at 08:50 AM