Glacier Peak wanted it more.

That’s the only explanation Bellevue’s Aaron Bright could give following Saturday’s disappointing 63-59 loss to Glacier Peak in the fourth/seventh place game of the Class 3A state tournament.

The Wolverines, who at one point held a 10 point third quarter advantage over the Grizzlies, saw their lead whittle away in the fourth and finally disappear with 1:08 to play.

“A game like that, you’re just playing for pride,” said Bright, who led all scorers with 28 points. “They just wanted it more.”

The Glacier Peak (22-6) comeback was fueled by junior wing Jack Bonner, who scored nine of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter. His three-pointer with 1:08 to play put the Grizzlies up for good. It was his third three-pointer of the fourth quarter and his fourth of the game.

“I felt we gambled a little too much on defense and gave them three-point shots,” said Bellevue coach Chris O’Connor. “Before, we did a good job of pressuring them and keeping them in front of us.”

The Wolverines (24-5) were out-rebounded by Glacier Peak 39-28. Glacier Peak’s Peyton Pervier, a 6-11 junior, had four blocked shots in the contest, breaking the previous record of 22 for the state tournament. His 24 blocks in four days bested Marshaun Thompson’s 22 for Bremerton in 1999.

It was the second-straight year the Wolverines had placed in the state tournament. Bellevue took third last year but fielded nine new players this season.

“We went 44-0 as a junior varsity team,” said junior John Ahrens, one of the first-year varsity players. “We had high expectations this year with [Bright] at the helm…it makes it all the more disappointing I guess.”

“It’s a hard way to end the season, obviously,” O’Connor added. “But I told the guys that I really thought we got everything we possibly could have out of this team.”

Leaving a lesson

Following Saturday’s loss, Bright had a few words of advice for his teammates.

“I just told them to take it as a learning experience,” the senior said. “I told them that if they want to win state, they know what it takes now. It’s not a cakewalk. [Rainier] Beach was projected to be in the championship and they got bounced just like us.”

Rainier Beach wasn’t the only team to find things out the hard way. Tournament favorite and undefeated Enumclaw was beaten in the championship by unheralded Union. Girls favorite Kennedy Catholic lost in the quarterfinals. Favorite Holy Names lost to upstart Cleveland in the championship.

“Nobody is guaranteed anything,” Bright said, “and now they know that.”

Besides Bright, Bellevue graduates starting forward Ian Gordon and reserves Colin Dresser and Brayden VanAckeren.

“We have a lot of guys coming back but a lot of guys coming back that need work,” O’Connor said. “Guys see what it takes to be good, with Aaron putting in the amount of work that he does. Hopefully other guys will put in that kind of work.”

Rebounding after tough loss

After a disappointing quarterfinals loss to eventual runner-up Enumclaw, Bellevue reached the fourth/seventh game by eliminating O’Dea with a 66-54 victory.

Bright scored 19 points but had to sit most of the second quarter after getting into foul trouble.

Instead of letting the Irish back into the game with their best player on the bench, the Wolverines took it to O’Dea, going on their own 10-4 run to close out the second half with a 30-22 lead.

“Just because AB’s out doesn’t mean we don’t have any offense,” said junior Will Locke. “We have a lot of offensive talent.”

Locke scored 13 points, while Gordon, Nate Sikma and Kendrick VanAckeren each added eight points in a balanced effort that saw nine of Bellevue’s 12 players score a bucket.

“We just came out and played hard,” Sikma said. “Obviously Aaron is our best scorer, so we just have to keep moving the ball when he’s out.”

State titles for Union, Cleveland

The Union Titans, a third year school near Vancouver, Wash., captured the Class 3A boys title with a thrilling 51-50 win over previously undefeated Enumclaw.

With just 8.4 seconds to play and trailing by one point, Union’s Chris Morgan hit two free throws and Enumclaw’s final shot clanked off the rim to give the Titans their first state title in any sport.

Union (19-9) came into the tournament as underdogs with a record of just 15-9. Enumclaw ended its season 27-1.

It was another surprising result on the girls side as Cleveland knocked off heavy favorite Holy Names 47-44 for the state title.

Junior Cheyenne Wilson scored a game-high 20 points as the Eagles (22-7) held off the Cougars. Holy Names (26-3) played without leading scorer Claire Conricode, injured in Friday’s semifinal game.

All-Tournament Teams

Boys

MVP – Andre Winston Jr., Lakes

First Team – Andre Winston Jr., Lakes; Riley Carel, Enumclaw; Connor Hamlett, Meadowdale; Chris Morgan, Union; Aaron Bright, Bellevue

Second Team – Robby Douglas, Shadle Park; Anrio Adams, Franklin; Isaac Winston, Lakes; Peyton Pervier, Glacier Peak; Mitch Saylor, Union

Girls

MVP – Cheyenne Wilson, Cleveland

First Team – Cheyenne Wilson, Cleveland; Erika Johnson, Holy Names; Kari Luttinen, Seattle Prep; Jenni White, East Valley; Tosha Hollingsworth, Capital

Second Team – Yaz Fuller, Kennedy Catholic; Claire Conricode, Holy Names; Chelsea Chandler, Shadle Park; Allie Madison, Kennedy Catholic; Whitney Wilson, Cleveland.