Jazz hits final game on the upbeat

By Rick Walter

Tacoma Weekly
rwalter@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: June 26, 2008

The Tacoma Jazz players felt like they needed a victory over the Bellingham Slam to prove to themselves they could play with the best teams in the league. They accomplished that goal, beating the Bellingham Slam, 112-106, at Mt. Tahoma High School on June 23. The Slam, who had already clinched the Western Conference title, held the Jazz to just five points in the first six minutes and led, 23-17, after the first quarter.

But the Jazz, 8-13 on the season, closed out the first half with a 25-8 run to take a 56-54 lead.

Tied, 79-79, entering the fourth quarter, Tacoma hit several key buckets in the middle stages of the quarter to keep the game close, something it had not been able to do previously against the Slam, and eventually took a 95-93 lead with 6:08 left to play on a Jameel Shareef lay-in. Tough defense and free-throw shooting helped the Jazz hold on for the win.

Dontay Harris led six Tacoma players in double figures with 27 points, and was also the game’s top rebounder, pulling down 15. The Jazz out-rebounded the Slam, finishing with an 83-53 advantage.

Marlon Bailey and Shareef each scored 17 points, and Bailey led the team in minutes played with 31. Mike Claxton added 13 points and Jajuan Winesberry and Lorenzo Rollins each scored 12. Winesberry also was a force on the boards with 13 rebounds.

Coming into last weekend’s games, the Jazz, now under new head coach Wayne Floyd, hoped to win at least one of two games against the Slam. They lost in Bellingham on June 20, 155-117, but came back with a big defensive effort to get the victory against the conference champs on their home court.

The Jazz has one more game to finish its season on June 26 against the Edmonton Chill at Mt. Tahoma High School at 7:15 p.m.

Jazz hits final game on the upbeat

By Rick Walter

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