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2A Boys Basketball State Championship: Bremerton hits buzzer-beater in overtime to send Columbia River to heartbreaking loss |
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Jalen Davis drives 75 feet in the final 3.3 seconds for game-winning layup |
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| Published March 6, 2026 9:01 pm |
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Columbia River's Chase Fitzwilson (foreground) reacts to the Rapids' 55-54 overtime loss to Bremerton as the Knights celebrate in the background after thea teams' Class 2A state semifinal at the Yakima Valley SunDome on Friday, March 6, 2026 (Meg Wochnick/The Columbian)
YAKIMA — The trophy that the Columbia River boys basketball team returns to Vancouver with will bring plenty of good memories.
But also a big ‘what if.’
The Rapids missed a trip to the Class 2A state championship game by the narrowest of margins on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
Bremerton beat Columbia River 55-54 in overtime when Jalen Davis made a lay-in at the buzzer.
How close was Columbia River to knocking off the top-seeded reigning state champions?
For one, Columbia River coach Mark Ganter believed the ball was still in Davis’ hand when the final buzzer sounded.
.jpg) 2A semifinal Columbia River Bremerton
“I’ll be honest, we should have won the game,” Ganter said. “I don’t think that last bucket should have counted.”
That Davis even had a shot was credit to the talent that has the 6-foot-4 guard ranked as the state’s top recruit in the Class of 2027.
With 3.3 seconds left, Davis received the inbounds pass, dribbled three-quarters of the floor and eluded three defenders to release the shot at the rim.
Davis finished with 27 points on 10 for 22 shooting. He was also responsible for sending the game to overtime, completing a three-point play with 15.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 51-51. |
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But amid Davis’ heroics were plenty of missed opportunities for Columbia River. That included two missed free throws with 3.6 seconds left in overtime.
As it has all tournament, Columbia River’s defense clamped down when it mattered. The Rapids held Bremerton to just six points in the fourth quarter.
But River’s shooting went cold as well. The Rapids had four points in the final five minutes of regulation, all coming at the foul line. The Rapids led 49-46 for nearly three minutes in the fourth quarter.
“We had chances to win,” Ganter said. “We were winning the game.”
Kellen Clary led Columbia River with 18 points, including a basket that gave the Rapids a 54-53 lead with 1:01 left in overtime.
Luca Phillips (14 points), Josh Paxton (11 points) and Alex Pont (10 points) also finished in double figures. Chase Fitzwilson grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.
Bremerton (23-2) had won its last 11 games by no fewer than 16 points. Yet the No. 11 seed Rapids (20-8) stayed close all game. Bremerton’s 18-13 lead after the first quarter was its largest of the game.
“I told them to hold their heads up high,” Ganter said. “Nobody all year has done this to them.”
Columbia River was aiming to reach the state championship game for the first time since 2009, when it finished second in Class 3A.
The Rapids will face Anacortes or R.A. Long in the third-place game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
BREMERTON 55, COLUMBIA RIVER 54, OT
COLUMBIA RIVER — Alex Pont 10, Kellen Clary 18, Chase Fitzwilson 1, Luca Phillips 14, Josh Paxton 11, Luke Potter 0. Totals 20-51 (4-16) 10-16 54.
BREMERTON — Enoch Taylor 7, Dillon McKay 3, Aaron Matthews 13, Junior Davis McWhorter 5, Jalen Davis 27, Mark Lomuda 0, Jay Beahan 0. Totals 21-58 (6-21) 7-11. 55.
River 13 15 17 6 3—54 Bremerton 18 13 14 6 4—55 |
