The Puyallup Vikings pose for a portrait after capturing the 4A SPSL basketball title in a 65-60 win over Emerald Ridge on Feb. 7, 2026, at Tacoma Community College. (Tyler Wicke)Tyler WickeSun, February 8, 2026 at 2:55 AM UTC·3 min readPuyallup’s student section nearly tumbled over in shock when Will Nasinec took flight. For a split second, those in attendance for Saturday’s 4A SPSL championship game at Tacoma Community College couldn’t hear themselves think — the go-ahead slam by the senior wing ignited a crowd of more than 1,000.
Trailing by one point in the closing minutes of Saturday’s title game, Nasinec received an inside pass, spun around Emerald Ridge’s Jamaize McGriff, and discovered an open lane. Jaguars forward Mychal Turner tried to fill it, but Nasinec had already made up his mind.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I just felt like I should go up and make a play,” the 6-foot-7 wing told The News Tribune.
Puyallup’s Mason Sonntag, a senior wing, couldn’t agree more. “If Will’s going up, 99 percent of the time, he better dunk that,” he smiled. “I’m glad he did what he did.”
Nasinec rose above the rest for a poster dunk, turning a one-point deficit into a one-point lead, and the Vikings emerged to capture back-to-back 4A SPSL championships in a 65-60 win over Emerald Ridge at TCC.
Vikings head coach Kevin Olson called it “redemption week,” capturing the back-to-back league titles with victories over programs they had failed to beat in the regular season (Bonney Lake, Emerald Ridge). They handled both when it mattered most.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“We got tripped up twice by Emerald Ridge earlier in the year, a rival,” Olson said. “We were just saying, ‘No way we’re losing three in a row to these guys.
“This time, we made the plays in the fourth quarter. The last two times, they’ve taken the game in the fourth quarter. Today was ours.”
Maybe a third time’s the charm after all.
Puyallup opened Saturday’s league championship on a 7-0 run, sparked by Bennett Hedman’s early triple and quick scores in transition. Emerald Ridge guard Jordan Bennett kept the Jaguars within reach with three triples in the first period (9 PTS).
Less than two weeks prior, Bennett stunned the Puyallup faithful with a go-ahead three-pointer with less than 10 seconds left in regulation, the defining shot of a one-point road win. Nasinec and Co. wouldn’t allow a rerun for long.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“We didn’t want to go 0-3 against that team,” Nasinec said. “They’re a great team, great program. We’ll probably see them (again) in the future.
“It feels great finally getting back-to-back (league titles). Not many times that’s been done in Puyallup. We’re going to cherish it.”
Nasinec and Sonntag paced Puyallup with 16 points apiece; Hedman had 11 points and point guard Quamari Costello added 10.
Emerald Ridge’s Jamaize McGriff was held scoreless in the first quarter but came alive in the second, finishing with a game-high 17 points.
Puyallup snapped Emerald Ridge’s 14-game win streak Saturday night. Both the Vikings (17-6) and Jaguars (20-3) advance to the District 3/4 4A tournament that begins Feb. 12, where state allocations are at stake.
BOX SCORE
P: 19-18-17-11—65
ER: 10-24-14-12—60
Scoring: (PUY) Nasinec 16, Sonntag 16, Hedman 11, Costello 10, Jones 10; (ER) McGriff 17, Bennett 13
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