By Karrington Kincaid, The Seattle Medium
The second game of the day featured an intriguing matchup between the Rainier Beach Vikings and the North Central Wolfpack. Led by Head Coach Rob Sacre, the Wolfpack bench and coaching staff displayed a ton of energy pregame, despite the long road trip from Spokane. The underdog Vikings, on the other hand, exhibited a calmer demeanor than usual during the pregame.
As the first quarter began, both teams matched each other perfectly tit for tat. Pregame nerves were evident as missed opportunities for points were consistent between both teams within the first two and a half minutes of the game. However, the Vikings quickly found their rhythm, with guard Nyale Robinson making a couple of three-point shots to ignite their offensive momentum. His teammates Kaden Powers, Jeremiah White, Larry Sims III, and Dominik Robinson all made their presence felt, contributing to Rainier Beach’s 18 first-quarter points.
The Wolfpack, off to a slow start themselves, relied on center Jacori Ervin and the 10 first-quarter points from guard Eli Williams to keep pace with the Vikings, ending the quarter tied at 18.
The second quarter mirrored the first, with the two teams battling to a 30-30 tie at halftime.
The Vikings came out on fire in the third quarter. Dominik Robinson led the charge with a trio of shots and free throws, and Nyale Robinson’s sharp shooting helped the Vikings build a 47-41 lead by the end of the quarter. The Wolfpack fought back, with guard Isaac Pratt and Eli Williams accounting for 9 of North Central’s 11 points during the quarter.
However, the fourth quarter belonged to Rainier Beach as they maintained their momentum. Jeremiah White and Dominik Robinson dominated in the paint, while Kaden Powers hit a critical long-range three-pointer. Together, they accounted for 15 of the Vikings’ 17 total points in the quarter.
Despite being exhausted from the Vikings’ onslaught, the Wolfpack didn’t stop fighting. Eli Williams sank a couple of free throws and a deep three-point shot, and teammate Jacori Ervin also contributed with a couple of shots and a free throw. Unfortunately, their 12 total points in the quarter weren’t enough to keep pace with the Vikings, as Rainier Beach won the game 64-53.
The leading scorers of both teams included Rainier Beach’s Dominik Robinson who scored 17 points, as well North Central’s Jacori Ervin who scored 16 points.
The Rainier Beach Vikings are set to take on the O’Dea Fighting Irish in a semifinal matchup on Friday.