Garfield's tumultuous start ends in historic fashion - first school to win three WIAA Class 3A girls basketball titles in a row

Tre Simmons came on board late to coach, but resilient group came together at right time to make another unblemished run through the state tournament, ending with a 58-49 victory over Lake Washington

TACOMA - A season that began with turmoil evolved into another successful run for the Garfield High School girls basketball team.

That run ended exactly in the same spot as each of the previous two seasons – with the Bulldogs hoisting the gold ball trophy as Class 3A champions of the state.

Garfield accomplished the coveted three-peat against a familiar foe with a 58-49 victory Saturday afternoon in the Tacoma Dome.

“I’m super excited for these girls,” Bulldogs first-year girls coach Tre Simmons said. “And we’ve got a good core coming back next year.”

Garfield (23-1) also will have Simmons returning, he said, for a second season at the helm after he agreed to become the coach just as the season was beginning back in December. Simmons took over for Marvin Hall, who had led the Bulldogs to championships against the Kangaroos in 2020 and 2022.

No tournament was played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to being Garfield’s third consecutive title, it was the sixth in the program’s history overall. The Bulldogs became the fifth team in big school history across Washington to win three in a row - and first one to accomplish it in the 3A ranks.

They joined the 2006-08 Lewis & Clark teams in Class 4A and a trio of Class 1A schools – Colfax (2004-07), Lynden Christian (1990-92) and Cle Elum-Roslyn (1981-83).

The Colfax group is the only one to get to four in a row, something the Bulldogs already were thinking about as they cut down nets on Saturday.

“I’m going after one more,” junior Katie Fiso said. “They’ve got to deal with me for one more year. We’re going for the four-peat.”

The Kangaroos (26-3) got off to a quick start and built an early 17-7 lead over the first five minutes of the first quarter. But Garfield got its offense going and found its way back by quarter’s end to tie the game at 17-17.

By the half, the Bulldogs had pulled in front, 32-24. After the break, the lead grew to as many as 13 points but the Bulldogs never completely got away from the Kangs.

Fiso, named the tournament's most valuable player, filled the stat sheet with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals against Lake Washington. Senior Imbie Jones led Garfield with 14 points, while Sydney Hani had 15 points for the Kangs to lead all scorers along with 12 rebounds and three blocks.