YAKIMA – Sure, there was disappointment.

There always is when a season ends, especially when it’s not with a victory.

But Grandview coach Frankie Medina’s message to his players was that the journey – and all its potholes and bumps – was more important than the number etched on the trophy they’re taking back to Yakima County’s Lower Valley.

“I told the boys, it doesn’t look like it right now because the ‘4’ looks a lot better,” the affable coach and Grandview alum said after Tumwater rallied for a 50-49 victory for fourth place in the Class 1A state tournament in the Yakima Valley SunDome, “but the road we’ve had has been a tough road and to still be able to make it to the last day is something they should be proud about and not hang their heads.”

Playing for a fourth day, and still without second-team all-CWAC selection Deontae Howard, who is still recouping from a hospital stay, the Greyhounds led much of the way, and were ahead 47-38 going into the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for Grandview, shots stopped dropping, and the T-birds chipped away, closing on a 12-2 run.

“We drew up some sets, had the looks, we just didn’t finish,” Medina said.

In the final minute, Tumwater’s Julian Balsley sank a 3-pointer and the Greyhounds.

Medina said the shortened rotation, and being without one of their top scorers, might finally have caught up with them.

“The other guys stepped up, but to ask them to knock down some shots, that’s asking a lot,” he said.

Grandview finished sixth in the state, a year after a senior-heavy squad fell a crossover win short of the state tournament.

With all-conference point guard, and the coach’s son, Frankie Medina leading the way, the Greyhounds remained a contender in the CWAC.

The younger Medina battled through ankle injuries, as did Howard.

But in the postseason, they hit their stride, knocking off Selah – which had gone 16-0 in conference play – to win the district tournament.

At state, Grandview faced No. 2 in the round-of-16, and the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams after topping No. 15 Foster.

Medina topped the tournament in scoring at 26.3 points per game, and was second in tournament-MVP voting behind Bremerton’s Jalen Davis, who led the Knights to back-to-back championships.

“I’ve been talking about the great teammate he is, and in the locker room after the game he’s still talking about what he could’ve done to help the team, and giving advice,” father said of son. “That’s who he is, and it’s been fun.”