Kentridge basketball season ends in heartbreak against Olympia

Published 5:25 pm Monday, February 23, 2026

The Kentridge Chargers’ season came down to this: win and move on to the state tournament for the first time under head coach Zac Webb, or lose and go home.

The No. 5 seed Chargers took on the No. 11 seed Olympia Bears for fifth place in the 4A West Central District Tournament, but more importantly, a spot in the state tournament.

For three quarters, Kentridge looked every bit like the team that had won 19 games this season. But a fourth-quarter collapse, combined with cold shooting and turnovers, ended up being the Chargers’ demise. Kentridge’s remarkable season came to a painful end, falling 54-45 to Olympia on Feb. 21.

For a program that had doubled its win total from the previous season and beaten powerhouse teams in Auburn and Kentwood, the loss hit especially hard.

“I’m in shock,” Webb said. “We didn’t expect to lose this game. We felt like we had a really good game plan and executed relatively well, except offensively. All those little bunnies at the rim just went in and out.”

The Chargers set the tone defensively to start the game. Their guards hounded Olympia’s ball handlers, forced rushed shots, and held the Bears to just 10 points in the first quarter.

Kentridge senior Giovanni Moimoi showed why he’s the team’s captain and best player. He scored 10 of the Chargers’ 13 first-quarter points.

“We practiced that defense day and night for the last three years, and we’re proud of that defense,” Moimoi said. “I’m proud of our guys too.”

This theme continued into the second quarter. It was led by gritty defense and tough buckets on both ends of the floor.

Olympia managed to tie the game at 20 with two minutes left in the half, but Kentridge answered immediately. Back-to-back threes from the perimeter stretched their lead to 26-20 entering halftime.

“In that first half, we were guarding them, we were shutting them down,” Webb said. “We absolutely locked up their guards. They could not get anything going offensively.”

The start of the third also belonged to Kentridge. The Chargers opened the half on a 7-4 run, extending their lead to 33-24, momentum and the energy in the gym began to tilt in Kentridge’s favor.

Then everything changed. Scrambling for a loose ball near Kentridge’s baseline, Moimoi came down awkwardly on his ankle. He grabbed it as he hit the floor and had to go sit on the bench.

“It was his ankle again,” Webb said. “It just kind of turned. I thought it was an easy foul call, but we didn’t get it. It limited his explosiveness.”

With Moimoi briefly sidelined, Olympia took advantage. Bears senior Brody Cronk poured in seven points in the quarter, chipping away at the deficit. By the time Moimoi returned, Olympia had cut the lead to 37-33 heading into the fourth.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Moimoi, who finished with 18 points, said. “Knowing I could’ve done more. The injury was a little bit of it, honestly. Not having me out there for that stretch hurt. But my guys held it down as much as they could.”

The fourth quarter was a completely different game. While the Bears found rhythm on offense and defense, Kentridge couldn’t buy a basket.

“Rushed shots, not getting the ball baseline against their zone, and just missing bunnies at the rim, that’s really what it comes down to,” Webb said. “And I think we started to hang our heads a little bit once it just kind of snowballed.”

What had been a nine-point Kentridge lead transformed into a 44-43 Olympia advantage with 3:01 left in the game.

After Kentridge senior Sebastian Ellis hit a couple of free throws to keep the Chargers close, Olympia delivered the dagger. A deep three from junior Tucker Downing pushed the Bears ahead 49-43 with 2:03 on the clock. Olympia outscored Kentridge 21-8 in the fourth quarter, ending the Chargers’ season at 19-6. Still, it was a great turnaround from last year’s nine-win campaign.

“I told them I’m proud of them,” Webb said. “This group had no transfers, all homegrown kids. They bought into a new coaching staff, set the standard, doubled our win total, finished second in league. There’s so much to be proud of.”

And for Moimoi, it was a bittersweet ending to his high school career.

“I trusted the process,” Moimoi said. “Coach Webb trusted me. I became the player I am because of this program. I’m happy I got to experience this and bring back a winning culture for KR.”