By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
It has been some time since both Garfield and O’Dea have played for a state championship. In fact, the two faced off three years ago against one another, and the Bulldogs secured the championship with players such as Tari Eason, Koren Johnson, and Jaylin Stewart, who was a freshman at the time. Abolishing their three-year hiatus from the biggest game in high school basketball, the two would meet one last time with an opportunity to hoist the gold ball trophy that was nestled along the baseline during the game.
This year’s 3A State Championship game was loaded with top talent on both sides. For O’Dea, Air Force commit Miles Clark, Second-Team All-Metro Miles Goodman, Eastern Washington University commit Mason Williams, who was named Co-Defensive Player of The Year and All-Metro First-Team.
For the Bulldogs, they’re led by Metro League Most Valuable Player, All-Metro First-Team, and UConn commit Jaylin Stewart, and three All-Metro Second-Team selections: Legend Smiley, Emmett Marquardt, and Sherrell McCullum Jr.
From the opening tip-off, the back-and-forth ensued between both teams. Garfield’s Myles Daymon would start things off with back-to-back layups, Smiley scored eight first-quarter points, Marquardt made a hook shot in the post, McCullum would get his defender in the air by pump-faking before dunking with two hands.
O’Dea’s Miles Clark delivered six early points. Williams would contribute on both ends by drawing a charge and converting an ‘and-one’ layup. Quincy Linton provided great on-ball pressure defensively. Noel Davis made a three-pointer, and Amare Jackson disrupted the passing lane for a steal and layup before the buzzer sounded off, to give the Fighting Irish a 17-16 lead going into the second quarter.
Handicapped to some degree were the Bulldogs, as Stewart was plagued with two personal fouls early in the game. In his absence, Smiley would lead the way with a floater, a putback layup from a missed three-point, and dishing out two assists.
The Fighting Irish had foul trouble as well, with Williams and Clark each having two early fouls. But O’Dea still managed to keep the game close going into halftime, courtesy of Goodman’s putback off a missed layup, and Malcolm Clark’s layup on the fastbreak.
Despite out-rebounding and shooting a higher percentage in all categories than the Bulldogs, O’Dea still found themselves down 30-28 going into halftime.
The third quarter would be a back-and-forth match yet again. Williams, who was in early foul trouble, began finding his rhythm for O’Dea, making a contested mid-range jump shot, a three-point shot, and receiving a lob pass, which he finished at the rim.
Although he wasn’t scoring how he nor his team is accustomed to, Stewart helped the Bulldogs on the defensive end with three blocked shots and three steals. Daymon’s layup, and Smiley’s five points before the third quarter ended, ignited a fourth-quarter run that he and the Garfield community wouldn’t forget.
With Garfield maintaining a 44-42 lead going into the fourth quarter, Smiley, a sophomore, scored 13 points fourth-quarter points from all over the floor. He’d make three three-pointers, a turn-around fadeaway shot, and two free throws as he took over the game and scored a game-high 30 points in the process.
O’Dea attempted to remain close until a Bulldogs three-pointer by Marquardt would ultimately become a dagger. From then on, Garfield ran away with the game and won 69-50 to become the 2023 state 3A champions.
In addition to his 30 points, Smiley shot 71% from the field and finished the game with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. Daymon poured in 14 points and 2 steals, while Marquardt had a game-high 13 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
