Northwest Christian junior forward Kwinn Hanson’s 21 points were nearly enough to pull off a victory against Napavine in Washington’s Class 2B championship game Saturday night at Spokane Arena.
Washington 2B Final: Northwest Christian Tops Napavine In Defensive Struggle For Seventh State Title
With some help from Hanson’s teammates, Northwest Christian (25-2) won 36-24 and captured the school’s seventh state championship.
Hanson scored all 17 first-half points for the Northwest Christian on 8-of-11 shooting, helping to carry his teammates, who collectively went 0-for-10 from the field in the first 16 minutes.
Napavine (23-4), a town in southwestern Washington of barely more than 1,500 people, struggled from the field in the face of a strong defensive effort from Northwest Christian, shooting only 28 percent for the game. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored only two points.
The fourth-quarter futility for Napavine came after a Tiger rally cut the Northwest lead to three late in the third quarter. Napavine managed to hold Hanson scoreless in the frame, but late baskets from two teammates helped pick up the slack, and the Northwest Christian star then scored the first two buckets of the fourth to put away the Tigers.
Reece Stanley and Colton Brown lead Napavine in scoring with 10 points apiece. The school was making its first appearance in a state championship game.
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