A Bitter Ending, But DaVonte Lacy Gave Fans Plenty To Cheer About

It wasn't supposed to end this way for DaVonte Lacy.

His storybook career at Curtis was supposed to finish with him cutting down the nets at the Tacoma Dome, raising a trophy for a state championship and cheering with a legion of blue-and-white-clad fans.

Instead, his basketball days ended with him fouling out with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter Saturday, as well as a technical foul for voicing his displeasure to the ref.

Over four quarters, Lacy had shown flashes of both frustration and brilliance. He scored 12 points in the first half but was forced into three turnovers. He had brought his team to within 10 points late in the fourth, but the Bullpups always seemed to have an answer.

Matched up against Gonzaga University-bound guard Chris Sarbaugh, Lacy had his hands full on both ends of the court.

So, overcome with emotion immediately after fouling out, he walked toward the bench in tears, knowing that Curtis, the team for which he was the undisputed leader this year, fell one game short of the state's top basketball prize. He watched as the seconds ticked away to the Vikings' 61-41 loss to Gonzaga Prep.

After the game, I caught him outside the locker room, when he was able to look at the loss in the context of the entire season.

"It's not bad to say that you're the second-best team," he said. "It would have been nice to be the first and get that state championship. But it's alright to be second, this one time."

"We have a great group of guys, and I wouldn't change it for anyone," he added.

Nor would Curtis fans ever want to change what Lacy did for the team. What they have watched the past three years is an athlete with God-given athletic abilities develop into a leader. What he's learned from Coach Tim Kelly - who said Lacy was one of the greatest players he's ever coach - is how to keep a group motivated and inspired.

In a week, Lacy will probably hit the weight room in preparation for his Pac-10 playing days at Washington State University next year. In a couple months, he'll visit Pullman for WSU's annual Mom's Weekend. Come June or July, he'll begin classes.

If you see Lacy around the community before then, I suggest thanking him for what he has given to the school. I'm not just talking about the silky 3-pointers, highlight dunks or any of his other skills on the court.

It's the stuff that's not included on the stat sheet for which Lacy also deserves credit. It was his leadership. It was his willingness to give up the ball and let the offense run through one of his teammates. Those are the things Curtis might miss the most from its outgoing leader.

Lacy said after the game that his time at Curtis gave him lifelong friendships, and it wasn't just about basketball. That's what the whole student-athlete experience is about.

"You can't take that away," he said. "Just because we lost the game doesn't mean I lost friends."

So once the sting of losing a state title game begins to subside, and they can reflect on how truly successful this past season was, the Vikings can take pride in their 2010-2011 run.

And the local sports community can reflect on Lacy's contributions as an athlete and leader. If he hits a big shot or makes a great play at WSU or beyond, plenty of fans here will be able to talk about how he once did the same type of thing in University Place.

Was it a perfect ending Saturday? No.

But is the fact that the Vikings were in a position to win it all a testament to their play this past season, particularly Lacy's? Yes.

That's something not even a technical foul in the waining moments of a loss can change.