Tumwater takes down W.F. West in defensive ‘slugfest’

T-Birds and Bearcats combine for just 68 points

By Dylan Wilhelm / dylan@chronline.com
Posted 1/8/25

TUMWATER — Tumwater and W.F. West aren’t held below 40 very often. Heading into the first matchup between the two teams this season, neither team had scored fewer than that all season.

You've reached your limit of
free articles this month!

Unlock unlimited access for just $1 for your first month

Click here to start a digital subscription

Please log in to continue

Log in

Tumwater takes down W.F. West in defensive ‘slugfest’

T-Birds and Bearcats combine for just 68 points

Posted

TUMWATER — Tumwater and W.F. West aren’t held below 40 very often. Heading into the first matchup between the two teams this season, neither team had scored fewer than that all season.

The defenses ruled the day in Tumwater on Wednesday, however, and the T-Birds came out on top 37-31 in a defensive battle.

“I said it so many different times about defense being the most important thing of what it is we do,” Tumwater coach Josh Wilson said. “When you can win a game when we’re scoring 37 points, I think that kind of proves it.”

Both offenses got off to a slow start, with the first basket not coming until more than two and a half minutes into the game, and it became more clear as the quarter went on that it would be difficult for either team to get into a groove.

“I thought it was an absolute slugfest,” W.F. West coach Chris White said. “Neither team could find easy buckets.”

The two teams were tied at 17 at halftime, and it was just 19-19 more than halfway through the third quarter.

From the bench, Wilson yelled instructions from the sideline, urging them to move the ball consistently and execute the offense.

The T-Birds did have more success offensively in the second half, though it was still far from an offensive barn burner.

“It got really sticky,” Wilson said. “I felt like if we could make them work the entire game, we had a chance to open it up. It did end up happening, it just wasn’t as pretty as I hoped it would be.”

W.F. West went down by seven with three and a half to play, but a three from Weston Potter got them back within four. The Bearcats never got closer than that, however, scoring just two more points over the final three minutes of the game.

“We just got sped up a little bit tonight,” White said. “We gotta find ways to not get so sped up … It helps us figure out what we gotta work on, so we’ll take it in stride.”

Gage Brumfield finished with a team-high 10 points, while Weston Potter scored eight and added seven rebounds. Ross Kelley scored five points, and Grady Westlund scored four while also tallying five assists and blocking four shots.

Jake Dillon led the Thunderbirds with 14 points, including a pair of second-half threes to help Tumwater build its slim lead.

“It’s kind of fun to see different guys step up,” Wilson said. “Jake can really shoot it when he gets going. If he wasn’t scoring for us, it would have been a different story, I’m sure.”

The win gives Tumwater (6-2, 1-0 2A EvCo) the earliest of advantages in the league standings, one that could play a crucial role down the line.

Last season, just one game separated W.F. West (4-6, 0-1 2A EvCo) and Tumwater atop the EvCo standings. W.F. West rebounded from its only league loss in Tumwater to run the table and win the league title at 11-1, while Tumwater finished in second at 11-2.

“Being able to get the first one under our belt is really good,” Wilson said. “I think if we play good defense, we’ll be in really good shape. I just hope the ball goes in a little bit more.”

Both teams are back on the court on Friday, when W.F. West will return home to host Black Hills and Tumwater will head south to take on Centralia.