TACOMA – In a game that gave Lynnwood its first-ever state basketball title, one moment in particular stood out to Royals head coach Everett Edwards and his team.
The last one.
With 13 seconds left in the game, Edwards subbed in Lynnwood senior Monty Cooper, who injured her ankle in Friday’s 63-37 semifinal win over Bellevue. Cooper, who was on crutches before the game, hobbled onto the court and limped into position about 15 feet from the hoop.
A few seconds later, Cooper found the ball in her hands and she threw up a shot, which swished through the net to serve as the final points in Lynnwood’s 54-42 win over Cleveland in the 3A title game.
“That was probably the best part, for me, of the state tournament,” Edwards said. “She’s a senior and for as hard as she plays, and as much as she does for our team, and to not be able to play today was really kind of heartbreaking. For her to have that moment — we just wanted to get her into the game and when Jordyn (Edwards) passed her the ball I was a little bit nervous. I didn’t want her to get hurt more. But when she hit the bucket it was just a storybook ending.”
Late in the game, Cooper found she had migrated toward the middle of the pack on the Royals’ bench. Lynnwood teammate Jordyn Edwards had hinted that, if the Royals got a big enough lead, she might be able to check into the game.
With a 10-point lead late in the contest, Everett Edwards decided it was time.
“He just grabbed my hands and said, ‘You’re going in,’” Cooper said. “It was just crazy because then the crowd went crazy and they’re cheering. It was really exciting. And then to finish off with the basket. …
“Jordyn said I might get in at the end if we’re up by a few. But once I saw the clock going down when we were still up by six or eight I took my (warm-up) jersey off, earrings off and I was ready to go just in case.”
It wasn’t just a special moment for Cooper. After the game, several Lynnwood players talked about how happy they were to see the senior score in her final game for the Royals.
“After Monty hit that shot I just started jumping up and down and then I started crying,” said junior Mikayla Pivec. “A few of my teammates started crying and we just had a big team hug after.”
Cooper, who said her ankle is “getting better but is still sore (and) really swollen,” said scoring the final basket was an incredible way to cap a state title.
“I would just say the shot just topped it off,” Cooper said. “Just winning a state championship with this team is just incredible.”
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