Lincoln Abes basketball: Traveling 150 miles ... to go 1.3 miles

Hometown-Tacoma Abes were on road twice during last week's WIAA regional round to become lowest seed (No. 17) to ever earn a spot in Class 3A championships

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Few schools can understand the predicament of the Lincoln of Tacoma Abes.

They are located on a hill that is on the doorstep of downtown - and close to the Tacoma Dome.

If they wanted to, they could walk to the host site of the WIAA Class 4A and 3A basketball championships - 1.3 miles away.

On a clear day, they can stare at the wooden dome for hours. It brings about long-lasting dreams.

"It is sometimes worse being so close," Abes boys basketball coach Ryan Rogers said, "because it is a constant reminder that it's not easy to get there."

Especially for a No. 17 seed.

But after Lincoln's adventurous regional-round week - two road trips to play loser-out games, totaling 150 round-trip miles - the Abes made history Saturday after their 60-56 win over West Seattle at Bellevue College by becoming the lowest seed to ever make the field at the Tacoma Dome.

Their reward? They get a rematch with top-seeded Auburn, which was upset by North Central in the regional round.

At this point, the Abes care less about the opponent and more about the experience. And on Wednesday, they will be rocking their, "Dancin' in the Dome'" T-shirts around the venue.

"We have a very unique group, because we have six seniors and six freshmen," Rogers said. "Those six seniors put in so much time, and we’ve been so close."

The last the Abes were in the dome was in 2020 - the year the pandemic hit.

"When you grow up in Tacoma, you idolize gong there," Rogers said. "It is the dream. It is the mecca."

It was a wild last week for the Abes - starting with their shock Sunday when they received the No. 17 seed after being fourth in the WIAA's RPI rankings.

"I was pretty surprised because I felt like our non-league schedule was pretty good," Rogers said. "But we had to push personal feelings to the side because it doesn't really matter.

"We used it as an opportunity to prove to more people that we belonged."

On Feb. 20, Lincoln traveled to No. 16 seed Lake Washington, and won, 56-50.

Four days later, the Abes played No. 10 seed West Seattle - whom the Abes beat during the regular season. 

"It was harder (than playing Lake Washington) because I think West Seattle felt they let one slip way earlier in the year," Rogers said. "They are very good. They play state-quality teams every night, and they beat some of the best teams in the state - Eastside Catholic, Bellevue and Rainier Beach. They just battle."

After blowing a 14-point lead, Lincoln rallied in the final three minutes to win, 60-56.

"They just wanted it," Rogers said. "That is the best way to put it."

The previous lowest seed since the WIAA instituted seeding committees (2017) at the 3A tournament was Bellevue (No. 16) in 2017. There had been five No. 15 seeds make the field - with Shorecrest being the last one in 2023.