Tualatin’s boys basketball team secured a dramatic 70-69 victory over Central Catholic in the OSAA/On Point Community Credit Union 6A tournament final at the Chiles Center on March 14. The Timberwolves, seeded fourth, overcame a five-point deficit in the last nine seconds of the game, led by junior guard Pat Vialva Jr., who made two crucial three-pointers to clinch the win.
The result was significant for Tualatin, coming less than a day after its girls team lost a semifinal match at the buzzer. The boys’ triumph marked their third state championship in five seasons and provided a morale boost for the school community.
Vialva said, “I’m built for moments like this. The moment makes it better.” He scored 27 points alongside senior guard Jemai Lake, who also contributed 27 points and praised his teammate: “I trust him with a lot of shots. He hits them, so I’m going to keep trusting him. I’m going to miss playing with him, but it was a great season.”
Coach Bubba Lemon described how his players responded to adversity: “Last night was so heartbreaking. The girls looked at me today when I saw them in the gym, and they said, ‘Go get it for us, please.’ I said, ‘We got you.'” Lemon also highlighted the partnership between Lake and Vialva: “It’s something special. You can’t replicate that. They’re definitely the best backcourt in the state. There’s no doubt about it. Those two, they play for each other and love each other.”
Central Catholic appeared poised to win after senior point guard Zamir “Bam” Paschal scored all of his 23 points in the second half and helped maintain their lead late into the game. However, Vialva’s heroics changed the outcome in favor of Tualatin.
Rams coach David Blue acknowledged his team’s effort despite the loss: “Tough way to lose. Tough way to go out,” he said. “I feel bad.… But things happen. Kids are competing. They made some big shots at the end. You’ve got to give them credit.”
