Auburn forward Semaj Brown (4) jumps to make a foul layup as Arlington forward David Zachman (14) tries to block him during a first-round game at the WIAA State Basketball Tournament at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash., on Wednesday , March 1. , 2023. Auburn won the game 52-41.
Cheyenne Boone / The News Tribune
Through three quarters, Auburn was in serious danger of being knocked out in the opening round of the Class 3A state tournament, struggling to put points on the board against Arlington on Wednesday night at the Tacoma Dome.
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But the defending state champions had other ideas. Auburn turned it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring Arlington 23 to 7 to pull away for a 52-41 win.
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“We just had to talk together, play together,” said guard Lateibreon Chandler. “We play better as a team. It was kind of going hard in the beginning. We were gonna pull it out. We just had to stay out of our heads.”
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The Trojans started getting out in transition and pushing the tempo, which in turn sparked their defense.
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“I wanted to push it a lot because every time we got going on a fast break, they couldn’t stop us,” said Luvens Valcin. “I just wanted to keep that momentum, keep it going like that. I feel like that’s how we got our dub. Offense just came, offense flowed with it.”
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Valcin led the Trojans with 17 points, Tyrell Nichols scored 15, Jaylen Petty scored 12 and Chandler added four. Since the bulk of Auburn’s title-winning team graduated last spring, this year’s team wanted to make its own statement on Wednesday in the Dome.
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“I just feel like it’s big because coming in, we’re coming with that dawg mentality, we know to stay focused” Valcin said. “Last year was fun and all but we’re onto a new year. We plan on just bringing it and defending it again, trying to get it.”
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Arlington center David Zachman led the Eagles with 17 points and guard Leyton Martin chipped in 14. For as good as Auburn’s offense was in the fourth quarter, the defense was just as impressive.
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“Our defense, we’re dawgs,” Valcin said. “We talk to each other, make sure we’re locked in together. We make sure not just one person is doing it, but all five. We’re together, we know when we’re locked in and we just have that dawg mentality. When we’re together, nothing can beat us, nothing can stop us.”
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Auburn will face No. 3 Eastside Catholic at 7:15 p.m. in Thursday’s quarterfinal round.
