WIAA 4A boys basketball championship game: Brogan Howell's last-second shot nets state title for Gonzaga Prep

Howell's fadeaway jumper with 2.2 seconds remaining is game winner - 57-55 over Puyallup

Brogan Howell, left, sank the game-winning shot with two seconds remaining to win the Class 4A boys basketball championship for Gonzaga Prep. / Photo by Steve Faber

TACOMA, Wash.- Gonzaga Prep senior Brogan Howell must’ve thought that the Tacoma Dome hadn’t seen enough excitement for the week.

The final shot made in the state tournament this year was perhaps the most meaningful. With the Class 4A boys championship game tied, Howell nailed a baseline fadeaway over 6-foot-7 Puyallup post Will Nasinec with 2.2 seconds remaining that ultimately gave the Bullpups a 57-55 victory - and their fourth WIAA championship in school history.

“He’s so quick and athletic,” Gonzaga Prep boys coach Matty McIntyre said of Howell. “He was able to elevate over the 6-7 kid and he made an incredible shot. We’ll have to talk about building a statue of him outside the school.”

The Vikings (23-8) called timeout after Howell’s shot to try to tie or win the game. They threw a 70-foot pass to Nasinec, who had 16 points, and immediately called timeout with 1.9 seconds left to move the ball into the front court. Puyallup set the final play up for senior guard Drew Jones, who’s three-point attempt at the buzzer was long, giving the Bullpups (26-2) the title.

Howell, who was the team’s leading scorer this season, finished with just seven points, but his final bucket was the biggest shot of his career.

Jones, who finished a game-high 20 points, tied the game with 33 seconds to play with his own baseline fadeaway.

That set the stage for Howell.

“My team had faith in me and my coaches had faith in me,” Howell said. “It all just came down to that lost shot and I’m just lucky that they trusted me to take it.

“I’m just kind of focusing on the hoop. You can’t really do much if he blocks it, so you just got to put it up and hope it goes in.”

Junior Carter Nilson had 16 points to lead the Bullpups. Senior Hudson Floyd added 12 points.

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