Wildcats end week on positive note
Published 8:46 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
BELLEVUE – After hanging with the Interlake Saints for three quarters, the Mount Si Wildcats lost their grip in the fourth last Tuesday, losing to their Eastside rivals 59-45.
Junior guard Bryce Brigham scored a game-high 20 points to lead Interlake to a victory which left the surprised Saints in excellent shape to possibly land the No. 2 playoff spot from the Kingco 3A Sky Division for next week’s league tournament.
Sophomore guard Ryan Reilly, making his first varsity start as a fill-in for senior guard Jarrod Wiegardt, who was out with the flu and an ear infection, scored 12 points to lead the Wildcats in defeat. Senior forward Luke Landdeck and post Jeremy Johnston each scored 11 to pace the Wildcats, whose poor outside shooting contributed to the loss. The Wildcats hit only one three-pointer the entire game, unusually awful for a team that has several good outside shooters.
Junior guard Jimmy King added 12, and senior forward Brian Burke pitched in 11 to pace the Saints’ victory.
Mount Si rebounded at home Thursday against Cedarcrest in the long-delayed first round of the final boys’ basketball Valley honors. In a game being made up thanks to the early January snowstorms, the Wildcats overcame a 27-point effort from Red Wolves’ senior guard Russell McGinnis and got some breathing room in the standings as a result. With the 67-53 win over Cedarcrest, Mount Si advanced closer to the postseason.
Landdeck scored 14 points to lead Mount Si, but it was the effort of sophomore forward Kevin Englund that was most noteworthy. Englund, in only 11 minutes of action, posted a 10-point, seven-rebound effort.
“It felt great to get out there and finally show people what I can do,” said Englund.
Johnston added 11 to pace the Wildcats.
As for McGinnis’s effort, Mount Si coach Garrick Phillips offered praise.
“That’s impressive. He’s a very good shooter and a good athlete,” said Phillips.
Rebounding was key in the game, as the Wildcats out-rebounded the Red Wolves 52-34. Senior center Ross Gomes aided the Red Wolves with 11 points.
The Wildcats clinched a postseason berth, but it wasn’t easy. After a huge first quarter in which Mount Si scored 24 points, things slowed down some. Despite their best efforts, Liberty could not come back and the Wildcats scored their most important win of the year.
Landdeck (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Johnston (13 points, 16 rebounds) had double-doubles as Mount Si took care of the Patriots 59-41.
“Our goals are a little bit higher than just qualifying for the playoffs, but one step at a time we did do that. We took care of a little business, we had to fight a lot of adversity in a lot of different forms tonight, and we battled back,” said Phillips.
The Wildcats out-rebounded Liberty 49-31 as Mount Si picked up its fourth conference win of the year, enough for the playoff berth. It was still unclear which spot they’ll end up with as of the Valley Record’s deadline, but they’ll either finish second or third in the Valley Division.
Reilly is looking forward to his second postseason outing, his first in which he’ll be playing.
“It’s going to be exciting. Last year I went with Kyle [Clearman] to league, we didn’t get in, but this year it’s definitely [a] lot more intense because we’re playing a role on this team, so [it] should be fun,” said Reilly.
The seeding will be decided in large measure based on how Mount Si wraps up their season. Friday night’s home finale with Issaquah not only will be the last home game for seniors Johnston, Landdeck, Wiegardt, Eric Meuli, Jordan Proudfoot and Evan Hillburn, but it could be to decide second place in the Valley Division. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m.
