A Historical Hood Classic, Results In A Rainier Beach Win
Photo Provided By ProofNThePlay
By RayJaun Stelly
The “Hood Classic” lived up to its hype, with the walls sweating and both fan bases loud and proud, Rainier Beach High School was the place to be on Friday night. With emotions running high not only from the players and coaches, but those watching live in person or on a stream both teams sought out earning a win over one another. For those unaware, Friday was a historical night as this was the last time the two teams would play against each other in this gym, as Rainier Beach High School will be remodeled.
A scoring drought within the first minute and half, Rainier Beach’s Keaundre Morris broke the ice scoring the games first points on a midrange jumpshot and from there the game picked up its pace. Garfield head coach Brandon Roy and his staff decided to start freshman KJ Hightower, which payed its dividends as he managed to facilitate and become a scoring factor for the Bulldogs.
After the first eight minutes, Rainier Beach took a 21-17 lead going into the second quarter. Vikings Kaden Powers and Jaylen Petty ignited their momentum with Powers scoring six straight points and Petty adding that to that scoring at the rim and from three point range. Even with the Vikings seeming to be in control, Garfield managed to always respond despite their mishaps.
Bulldogs Hightower continued to score in bunches, Jimmie Haywood began warming up blocking a layup, and finding teammates in transition for points and with a 39-28 deficit and one minute before halftime, Garfield’s Zay Davis made back-to-back threes cutting the Vikings lead to 39-34 heading into the second half.
To start the second half, Haywood continued where he left off, scoring the first five points for either team in the third quarter with a left hand layup and knocking down a three-pointer causing an immediate timeout by Rainier Beach’s Mike Bethea.
Petty, Powers, and Morris continued to lead the Vikings in all facets of the game. Whether it was Morris finding Powers for a three or making a three-pointer of his own, Petty spinning off a defender and scoring with contact.
Yet despite solid play from these three players, Garfield outscored Rainier Beach 19-17 in the third quarter thanks to Doni Burkett’s spark off the bench, the 2026 guard provided instant offense and energy for the Bulldogs off the bench.
Once again the Bulldogs run kept the game close, as Rainier Beach held a 56-53 lead heading into the final quarter. With the walls sweating, cheerleaders going back and forth, players and coaches sticking to the game plan in order to win, the stage was nearly perfect for the first matchup of this years ‘Hood Classic’.
Rutgers commit and Vikings combo guard Powers, expressed before the game, “the mindset is just to go kill no matter if I’m scoring, rebounding, or just doing the little things, I just want to dominate the game, and win”
With that mindset Powers did exactly that finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists as he took over the fourth quarter finding teammates cutting for layups or ‘AND-1’ finishes, getting offensive rebounds, going coast to coast for layups or making midrange jumpshots out of the post up.
Although the Bulldogs managed to cut the deficit to just three points, Rainier Beach answered every time to Garfield’s runs throughout the game and with that they managed to hold off their opponent and once the final buzzer sounded off the Vikings were victorious.
Winning in a high scoring fourth quarter 81-71, Rainier Beach won the first matchup of the year between the two in what was the last ‘Hood Classic’ in that gym as the school is going through a rebuild.
Garfield’s five-game winning streak came to a hault, and they will return to action on January 7 against West Seattle on the road, and the number one ranked Rainier Beach improves to 9-2 and host Nathan Hale at home on January 7 with a chance to extend their winning streak to five-games.
