No. 5 Tumwater finds new weapon on its way to a 58-44 win over 3A Capital

With all the pandemic-related postponements and cancellations marring the current high school basketball season, Tumwater, ranked fifth in this week’s first Associated Press poll of the season, was glad to get in a non-league road game at a solid 3A team, Capital, on Saturday night.

The Thunderbirds (12-2) stayed undefeated against teams from Washington, downing the Cougars (8-6), 58-44, behind a season high 15 points from 6-foot-7 senior forward Ryan Otton that may signal a new dimension to their team offense.

It was the first time Otton led the team in scoring after averaging just 5.5 in Tumwater’s first 13 games. With fellow senior forward Adam Overbay contributing 10 points, the T-Birds’ front line gave any future opponent scouting the game something to worry about beyond explosive guards Luke Brewer, Andrew Collins and Connor Hopkins.

“Ryan’s got soft hands and good touch around the basket,” said Tumwater coach Josh Wilson. “We certainly can make a lot of noise with our guards. That’s starting to open things up for Ryan.”

Otton agreed.

“The guards were able to come down and make some good passes,” he said. “I just made open shots. Give credit to the guards for making those passes. We’ve been working on it the entire season and got it going right now.”

Otton is likely more known for his role as a two-way star for the T-Bird football team. He’s headed to UW in the fall.

“He’s getting his basketball legs under him. It takes a little time,” Wilson said. “It’s good to see his touch coming into play.”

Hopkins had 10 against Capital while Brewer and Collins added nine each.

“We’re certainly trying to play hard, play together and share the basketball,” said Wilson.

Capital stayed close early, tying the score, 8-8, with just under a minute to go in the first quarter on a 3-pointer from out top by Carl Schreck.

But Tumwater, which had every starter score in the first period, regained the lead, 12-8, at quarter’s end on layups by Brewer and Collins. The T-Birds never trailed again.

They expanded their lead to as many as 14 points three times before the end of the third quarter.

The Cougars’ last gasp came at the start of the fourth quarter when they quickly cut Tumwater’s lead to 41-31 on jumpers by Schreck and Cooper Carlson.

Wilson called time out.

Whatever the T-Birds discussed in their huddle worked: they went on a 14-4 run that led to their largest lead of the night, 55-35, after a steal and a dunk by Collins with a little more than two minutes remaining.

Next up for Tumwater is a Tuesday night game at W.F. West, a team hit hard by COVID-forced postponements. The 5-6 Bearcats will be playing a back-to-back after hosting 3A North Thurston on Monday night.

“That’s always a tough place to play,” said Wilson, whose team trailed at halftime against W.F. West at Tumwater earlier in the season but rallied behind a big third quarter for a 54-40 2A Evergreen Conference victory. “It can be a 20-point swing going down there. But if we go down there and play good defense, I think we’ll be OK.”

With 6-10 Soren Dalan averaging a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double and high-flying 6-4 guard Dirk Plakinger averaging 18.2 points per game, Tumwater’s newfound interior strength will be challenged. The T-Birds did hold Dalan to seven points in the first meeting.

“With the big guy there, it’ll be a good test,” said Otton. “I’m excited for our future.”