It’s getting tougher to keep count.
That makes six straight 4A SPSL titles for the Sumner Spartans.
Junior guard Kawehi Borden joined the 1,000-point career scoring club, Olivia Collins dropped a game-high 11 points, and Sumner rolled Olympia, 52-30, in Saturday night’s league championship game at Tacoma Community College.
Sparked by an early, 11-0 run and sustained by the area’s top backcourt, what did Sumner prove in another runaway win? The defending 4A state runners-up are among Washington’s best yet again, a true contender entering the district tournament and Tacoma Dome’s Hardwood Classic from March 4-7.
“The expectation is there, but you still have to respect everyone,” Sumner head coach Katie Hyppa said. “Olympia’s a good team. They’re always well-prepared. Even in the regular season, they played us the toughest. (Olympia head coach Dustin Workman) does a great job of preparing people and taking away what we do.”
Sumner raced to an 18-4 lead in the first quarter, an early blowout defined by scrappy defense and high-tempo fast breaks. Olympia clawed back and trailed by 10 at halftime before Sumner’s backcourt and senior forward Raymiah Jackson’s post presence won out.
“Pressure, rebound, go,” Borden smiled.
Borden, a four-star combo guard, scored 10 points Saturday night, one of three Spartans in double-digits. Collins dropped a game-high 11 points, Jackson had 10, and senior forward Kessa Nohr added nine.
Olympia’s Junie Hanson, a senior forward, paced the Bears with nine points.
“I think our team thrives off of defense, so getting points off fast breaks… that’s how everyone’s getting (theirs),” Borden said. “We’re playing really good team basketball right now, and we want to continue that into the (Tacoma) Dome.”
BORDEN JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB
Borden, a junior four-star recruit, joined the 1,000-point career scoring club in Saturday night’s win over Olympia.
The 6-foot combo guard was promptly greeted by friends and family after claiming the 4A SPSL title, sharing hugs and photos with a newly-revealed “1,000 PTS” sign for the occasion. Borden is considered one of the area’s top players, a versatile three-level scorer already holding offers from Oregon, Washington, and Kansas.
“Honestly, I’m not really thinking about it a lot,” Borden said. “When I found out I was close, I was like, ‘Oh, OK,’ honestly. I haven’t been thinking about it.
“I’ve been thinking about the team aspect. I’m just looking forward to the next playoff game, (but) it’s obviously a cool milestone to achieve.”
Borden is just the fourth player in Sumner girls basketball history to reach the 1,000-point mark. There’s still a year-plus to boost that number, too.
“The thing that people don’t realize… (Kawehi’s) played the 1 for us a lot over that timeframe,” Hyppa said. “She’s played the 5 for us. It’s not like she’s been just a 2 where she’s getting every shot.
“To hit 1,000 points in her junior year is an incredible accomplishment. … We’ve still got a lot more to play this year, too.”
BOX SCORE
O: 4-15-3-8—30
S: 18-11-12-11—52
Scoring: (S) Collins 11, Borden 10, Jackson 10, Nohr 9, Hughes 5; (O) Hanson 9, Juergens 8, Schaff 6, McCaughan 5
