Federal Way reaches state

Federal Way boys basketball coach Jerome Collins put it as succinctly

as you can get:

"See you at state," he grinned.

The Eagles qualified for this week's state action in the Tacoma Dome

with a loser-out, winner No. 5 to state game win over Kentwood at

Auburn High School Thursday.

Federal Way won by a 51-44 score after the Conquerors had closed the

score to 45-44 with 2:56 left to play.

Jeff Forbes led the turn-around, icing two free throws at the 2:22

mark. The two teams then traded the ball back-and-forth before it

sailed out of bounds with only 29.6 seconds to go.

Forbes then drew another foul and sank both shots at 12.2 seconds to

play to make it 49-44, The Eagles snatched the ball right back and

Forbes went to the line on a 1-and-1 call to hit two more free throws

at the 2.5 second mark, wrapping up a 51-44 win.

"Jeff gets more free throws," said Collins. "He's got to be 80, 81

percent. He's the guy we want to have up there."

Forbes almost wasn't in the game at all at that point. He went down

hard onto the court and flirted with unconciousness.

"He was almost unconscious," Collins said. "I tested him and he

couldn't see my hand. Then I asked him wha'ts at stake and he said to

go to state, and I said he's fine."

State starts today at the Tacoma Dome against an opponent and a time

that was selected by draw after press time Sunday.

"By the grace of God, all went our way," said Collins of the state

clincher, during which the Eagles led by as much as 12-2 early before

everything tightened up the rest of the way."

Aaron Broussard led Federal Way with 17 points as Andre Barrington

scored 12 and Cole Dickerson 11. Forbes had a pivotal nine points on

the board.