Al Snow is going to tell this story one time, and one time only.
If you’re familiar with the Kennedy Catholic head coach’s high school career at Franklin, you’ve probably heard the legend. Maybe you were even at Rainier Beach that December night in 1999.
Snow’s performance ranks among the greatest in Seattle high school basketball history. (For the full story and more, check out this week’s episode of Spilled Ink.)
That night at Rainier Beach High School, Jason Kerr was coaching Franklin. Mike Bethea was, and still is, the Vikings’ head coach. Lodrick Stewart and Tim Ellis were on fire in the first half.
By the third quarter, Franklin trailed by 21.
This is where the legend begins.
Snow, who picked up his first foul before the game even started for dunking in warmups, was limited to just three points in the first half. He had also collected three fouls in the opening quarter.
But as Franklin headed into the locker room, Snow was clapping.
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “We’ll be fine.”
Then, he took over.
Snow dropped 27 points in the second half – while the rest of the Quakers combined for just eight – and led Franklin to an improbable comeback victory.
And the best part? Well, let’s just say it proves how locked in Snow really was that night. But to hear that story, you’ll have to listen to the podcast.
In this episode, we also pay tribute to the legendary Slick Watts, who passed away last week, reflect on Snow’s first season at Kennedy Catholic, share a story about the value of dedication and tenacity, and much more.
As Spilled Ink evolves, my goal is to use many of these episodes to provide an oral history of Seattle high school basketball. If you have a memory to share, send me a message, I’d love to hear it.
A special shoutout to Snow, who has been incredibly supportive as I build this platform. It is through the support of the community that will allow Spilled Ink to grow and thrive.
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