HS Boys Hoops: T-Birds edge past WF West in EVCO 2A Defensive struggle

1/8/2025

Tumwater 37, WF West 31

(Tumwater, WA) The 1st half was ugly offensively and beautiful defensively. Neither team could get much going on offense with Tumwater leading 9-6 after the 1st quarter. Gage Brumfield led the offense back for WF West sc oring 8 of the Bearcats 17 points.

The T-Birds split their scoring between 5 players led by Jake Dillon with 6. Both teams hit just one 3-pointer with Braeden Konrad hitting it for Tumwater and Weston Potter for the Bearcats. There were only 2 free throws total in the 1st half and Beckett Wall hit both for the T-Birds.

When the 2nd half began many thought the offenses would heat up but instead it was a repeat of the 1st half with the defenses dominating. The two teams combined for just 13 points in the 3rd quarter. Both defenses were simply unwilling to allow easy shots and easy break-aways.

The T-Birds led by 1 entering the final quarter 24-23 and while they held the Cats scoreless for several minutes they could not create distance between themselves and WF West. It wasn’t until Dillon hit his 2nd 3 ball that gave Tumwater or either team a 2 possession lead going up 27-23.

Beckett Wall was huge in the 4th quarter and scored 10 of his 12 points in the 2nd half and went 4-4 from the free throw line. But it was Jake Dillon whop continued to hit buckets and came up with big defensive plays. Dillon led all scorers with 14 points and Beckett had 12 for Tumwater. Brumfield was the only Bearcat to hit double figures with 10 but the T-Birds held him to just 2 2nd half points.

The T-Birds were 4-6 from the line while the Bearcats were 2-4.

This was the opener in EVCO 2A league play for both teams and the T-Birds are 1-0 and 6-2 overall while WF West begins 0-1 and now 4-6 on the year.

Jake Dillon earned our Thorbeckes MVP for the T-Birds with Beckett Wall a close 2nd. Had WF West won we would have considered Gage Brumfield and Weston Potter who drained a pair of 3’s.

Scoring

Tumwater: Jake Dillon 14, Beckett Wall 12, Braeden Konrad 5, Bryce Morgan 2, Sahara Anthony III 2, Landon Anchors 2
WF West: Gage Brumfield 10, Weston Potter 8, Ross Kelley 5, Grady Westlund 4, Carlos Vallejo 4

Link to watch full game replay on the NFHS Network (subscription required)

ESN Postgame show