Eastside Catholic captures first-ever 3A hoops title over rival Rainier Beach
Eastside Catholic Crusaders senior Jacob Cofie is a four-star high-school prospect, a University of Virginia commit, and a 6-foot-10 big who controls the interior of each and every game he enters. Yet before Saturday, something remained missing from both the Division-I forward’s resume and Eastside Catholic’s history books: the elusive state title.
So when Cofie stepped onto the hardwood in Saturday’s 3A title game at the Tacoma Dome, the game plan was obvious. Feed him — or Eastside Catholic’s other 6-foot-10 sophomore center, Yabi Aklog — and either would storm to the glass for an easy bucket.
If the Crusaders missed from the perimeter, Cofie prepared for an offensive rebound and putback, resulting in 19 second-chance points.
No. 10 Rainier Beach remained in striking distance, but No. 2 Eastside Catholic’s interior size tipped the scales and the Crusaders held on over their 3A Metro rivals, 65-57, in the 3A championship at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday night.
Vikings wing Kaden Powers drilled a triple at the third-quarter buzzer to tie Saturday’s championship – but Cofie imposed his will in the final eight minutes of his high-school career and senior guard Kayden Greene hit five triples, including a pair of treys in the final minutes, that forced Rainier Beach into the foul game.
Cofie hoisted the trophy, then Aklog. With their size, it was inevitable. The entire roster dashed to the student section to celebrate, then back to the hardwood to cut down the nets.
“Our team came out and balled out,” Cofie told The News Tribune. “The big men, my whole team. We came out successful, and I’m proud of my team.
“I feel great.”
Cofie posted a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double, and Aklog dropped a game-high 28 points with nine rebounds and 9-of-14 free-throws. It was their game from tip-off: they piled 24 of Eastside Catholic’s 27 points in the first half.
“(They’re) every game plan for us,” Eastside Catholic head coach Brent Merritt said of his athletic bigs. “We ride them until we can’t ride them any more. They did their job. It was amazing. Such a great ride.”
And Greene’s sharpshooting isn’t anything new – he shot over 50 percent from downtown this season. Saturday’s championship-defining triples were, arguably, the biggest shots of his young life.
“He’s been doing it all season for us,” Merritt said. “He’s the best shooter we’ve ever had. Shooting 53 percent from three, which is unreal. I’ve never done that, and I was a professional. I have so much respect for him.
“I tell him every day I hate him, but I love him at the same time. During football season, he doesn’t shoot. He doesn’t do a damn thing. He just comes in, first game, and knocks down threes. I told him I hate him because I had to work for it.”
Regional winners in February, Eastside Catholic advanced through the Round of 12 and into the tournament’s 3A quarterfinals, where the Crusaders ended No. 17 Lincoln’s Cinderella run on Thursday, 58-51. Then Cofie, Aklog, and the Crusaders outlasted No. 6 Mount Spokane in Friday’s semifinals at the Tacoma Dome, 55-53.
Now they have their first-ever state title.
Powers posted a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double for Rainier Beach in the loss, both team highs. Vikings center Dominik Robinson tallied 14 points and six rebounds, and Maceo Rivers added 13 points and eight rebounds.
This was the fourth meeting between the programs this year. It was Eastside Catholic’s third – and biggest – win of the season series.
“(Rainier Beach is) a great team,” Cofie said. “That’s a really great team. Kaden Powers is a great player. Just had to execute our plan, and get the win.”
Greene finished with 16 points on his game-high five triples for Eastside Catholic.
“I know I’m going to cry, and they’re going to drench me in water when we get in the locker room,” Merritt said. “I’m just so proud of them.”
This story was originally published March 2, 2024 at 10:01 PM with the headline "Eastside Catholic captures first-ever 3A hoops title over rival Rainier Beach."
