For most of the seniors on the Lake Washington boys basketball team the past four years have been long, with very few wins to show for their efforts, including a last-place finish in 2009. But it was fitting that Friday was senior night because the hard work paid off as the team won the Crown Division championship.

The 62-55 victory against Inglemoor not only broke a weeks long three-way tie atop the division, but also finished a cinderella story for a first-year coach and his team.

“We lost the third game of the season against Woodinville and that was when I knew we had something,” said Kangs head coach Barry Johnson. “It was like someone pulled the rug out from under us. But we were able to refocus and rededicate ourselves.”

The Kangs would have to earn the championship despite defeating the Vikings earlier this season at Inglemoor High School.

Lake Washington, looking as if they would run away, held the Vikings scoreless during the first 4:22 of the game. The Kangs took a 12-2 lead that was short lived. The Viking offense looked unstoppable during a 7-0 run that led to a tied game, 23-23, with 5:26 left in the half.

“Inglemoor is a great team and there were a couple of big swings in this game, as there were the first time we played them,” said Johnson. “We knew it would be close.”

The teams would head to halftime separated by just one point 30-29 Inglemoor.

Alex Houghton gave Lake Washington a short lived lead, 36-35, during the third period, but Inglemoor again pulled away to take their biggest lead of the contest 44-37.

Houghton again found the big shot, hitting a jumper with 25 seconds left in the third to cut the defect back to one point.

The fourth quarter was eight minutes full of big plays. Kang senior Ryan Guisness came up with one of those plays as he battled three Inglemoor players for two consecutive rebounds and finally a put-back shot. Lake Washington sophomore Guy Lynott then scored in the key and was fouled for the three-point play. The points added up to the Kangs first full-posession lead since the second quarter, 53-51. From there the Kangs took control. A drive to the basket by Dallas Searles on the Kangs’ ensuing possession extended the lead.

“It is a nice feeling,” said Searles about the title. “Coach always tells us keeping pushing forward and there was never a doubt.”

But it would be free-throws that would clinch the contest and the title for Lake Washington, as they hit five of six from the stripe during the final two minutes to complete the win.

Guisness led his team in scoring with 20 points, while Houghton contributed 14.

The victory gives Lake Washington a 10-6 regular season record in league play, a six-game difference from last year.

“We were in last place last just a year ago,” said Guisness. “It is a great feeling to make that big of a jump. This is the best win in my high school career.”

The team was ranked as high as the top 10 in the state this season, a place they would like to finish the year.

“Being ranked No. 9 was like the Madden curse,” said Johnson. “… but we aren’t done yet. Hopefully we have a long way to go.”