By SCOTT SPRUILL

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

To elevate from "benchwarmer" to starter, Marc De Jong had to embrace the tenets of Sunnyside Christian boys basketball. These being the foundation of three state championships since 2002.

"Don't push the ball, value the possessions and take your time," said the 6-foot-3 senior. "Treat the ball like a piece of gold."

After two days of handling the ball with hands of granite, De Jong put a shine on Friday afternoon, casting in two crucial
3-pointers in the third quarter that complemented Joel Koopmans' power game and led the Knights to a 40-24 victory over Entiat in the Class 1B state semifinals.

Having lost seven seniors off the team that stormed through the SunDome last year to finish off a 26-0 season, this group was mixing surprise with satisfaction after another defensive lockdown.

"It's a whole new team so, yes, this is a big surprise," De Jong said. "I don't think any of us imagined we'd be back playing for it all again."

But there the Knights
(19-5) will be tonight at 7, facing Tekoa-Oakesdale in the program's fifth state championship game. The Nighthawks (19-9) defeated Moses Lake Christian 42-37 in Friday's second semifinal.

"Last year was totally different because there was so much pressure," said SC coach Dean Wagenaar. "These kids are just riding along enjoying every minute. They're having fun just taking it all in stride."

Fun for the Knights, not so much for who shares the court with them.

Entiat was the third straight opponent to suffer a season-low handcuffing as the Tigers managed 24 points and made just 2 of 17 shots in the second half.

Rosalia struggled to get 25 points on Thursday, and Odessa could do no better than 20 on opening day. Sunnyside Christian's defense has not allowed a double-digit quarter yet.

All the Knights need is a lead and Koopmans delivered that, scoring nine of his 18 points in the first quarter. In the third period, De Jong's treys accounted for six of his team's 10 points while the revved-up defense yielded two points on free throws.

"They're so deliberate in their style you've got to get them to speed it up," said Entiat coach Bill Edwardson. "I've watched (Wagenaar's) teams play and when they get a lead they're going to work it around for a shot. They're a real fundamentally sound team."

Edwardson wanted to get more pressure on Koopmans so others would have to score the points and after the first quarter his team was fairly successful at limiting the stout senior's looks.

But the Knights took advantage of Entiat's focus on the inside by hitting 3-pointers -- one from Danny Van Boven in the second quarter and De Jong's two long-range shots in the third.

"We've needed that from Marc and he came through. Those shots were pure," Wagenaar said. "That's how you keep defenses honest when they go after Joel."

"Coach got on me a little, saying, 'We need something out of you,'" said De Jong, who also pulled down six rebounds. "He said to believe in my shot, they will fall."

The Knights also got stellar defensive work out of 6-6 senior Jason Friend, who was pitted against the tournament's other top big man, Entiat's 6-6 sophomore Dylan Crawley. Friend wrestled down a game-high 10 rebounds and blocked two shots while Crawley produced eight points and five rebounds.

In any other game, Entiat would rightly feel in the game by staying within a dozen points in the second half. The Tigers even managed to get within 29-20 with 6:05 left on a Crawley putback.

But with Sunnyside Christian extending possessions, protecting the ball and clamping down on defense, those hopeful deficits were merely mirages.

"When you're a high school kid and you're not scoring the (frustration) does set in," Edwardson said. "You want to get the ball back and you hear people yelling 'get the ball, steal the ball.'"

After Wagenaar called a timeout with 4:27 left and a 31-20 lead, the Knights scored their remaining points at the foul line.

"We saw Entiat and how they liked to get up and down the court," Wagenaar said. "We handled that pressure and we have been all week. It's such a joy watching how these kids have responded this week. And it's a surprise, to be honest."

Not that surprising if you treat the ball like gold.