When the Zillah boys basketball team drifted away from the game plan and toward the 3-point line in the second half of Saturday evening's game against King's, a not-so-friendly nudge was delivered by Leopards coach Mario Mengarelli. Message received. Zillah defeated King’s 57-39 on day two of the Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Shootout Saturday, Dec.
28, 2024, at the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash. Zillah’s Dekker Van de Graaf blocks a shot by King’s player Colton Adams on day two of the Wilbur-Ellis SunDome Shootout Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash.
A big fourth quarter carried the Zillah to a 57-39 SunDome Shootout victory against the Knights, whom the Leopards regularly see on the state-tournament stage. After making just 2 of 11 3-point hoists in the third, Zillah returned to its efficient offense, often with reigning SCAC West and state player of the year Dekker Van De Graaf facilitating from the high post, and outscored King's 18-2 in the final period. "When you have 14- to 18-year-olds, sometimes their brains thinks they're always right," Zillah coach Mario Mengarelli said.
"We called a timeout and they were quickly reminded that as a coach you've seen a few games and you get to do it my way or get out." His way lifted the Leopards to their seventh straight victory this season and in the SunDome, where they capped an unbeaten season last March with their third title in seven years. "In that timeout, our coach ripped into us becau.