MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Mountlake Terrace was able to check off one of its goals with its first-place finish in the Western Conference 3A boys basketball standings.
The Hawks earned the top seed in this week’s Northwest District tournament with an impressive 15-1 record (19-1 overall). Mountlake Terrace has secured home court advantage for the first three rounds of the tournament.
“Anytime you can do that, be the top seed of a good league, you’re proud of that,” Mountlake Terrace coach Nalin Sood said. “But there are bigger goals for this basketball team.”
Junior guard Blake Fernandez and his teammates are looking for more than just a league championship.
“The first seed really doesn’t mean anything if you don’t make it into regionals,” Fernandez said.
Mountlake Terrace hosts Everett in a first round game at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Mountlake Terrace High School.
The Hawks’ success this season has many basketball observers thinking about two previous Mountlake Terrace teams – the 1977 state champions that went 19-1 during the regular season and the 2000 squad that finished 20-0 during the regular season, which also advanced to state.
The Hawks were just one point away from wrapping up the season undefeated, but Shorewood edged Mountlake Terrace 55-54 in the final regular season game on Feb. 4 at Shorewood High School.
When three teachers stopped him in the hallway last week and wanted him to contrast this year’s team with previous squads, Sood didn’t really answer them.
“It’s hard. Each team is its own unique team,” Sood said. “We have solid guard play and good big play. Some teams are deficient in one area. We have a little more balance with this basketball team. Any team has its unique talents and strengths.”
A clear strength of the 2011-12 team is its balance on offense. Four Hawk players are averaging around 10 points or more per game: Fernandez (12.3), Marquis Armstead (11.7), Ryan Shannon (10.2) and Coby Russell (9.8).
And it isn’t just the starting five that can put up the points.
“Our second five can be as good at the first five,” Armstead said. “We have other players that can step in and get their points too. It’s always different every game.”
Nine different players have led the Hawks in scoring this season.
“That’s just remarkable,” Sood said. “I have confidence the kids have the ability to score points.”
As the quarterback on the court, Fernandez is getting it done on two levels. He not only is the team’s top scorer, but he is leading the Hawks in assists.
“It takes a real special player who can balance that offensively,” Sood said.
Shannon is averaging a double-double (points-rebounds).
“You look at any one of the guys’ stats, they are not going to blow you away,” Sood said. “But when you look at the whole … that’s what this team is about.”
Practices are spirited and often intense.
“We get on each other in practice,” Fernandez said. “We know we can. We’re that close. No one is going to take it personally.”
That also includes coaches.
If the players feel Sood isn’t doing something right, they’ll tell him so.
“They let me know if I’m wrong,” Sood said. “They will challenge me, not in a disrespectful way but in a cerebral way.”
It’s clear to Sood that the players are hoop addicts. After a two-hour practice, many of them stick around to shoot baskets or work on other aspects of their game.
Ever since Shannon, a first-team, all-league standout transferred from Marysville-Pilchuck, Mountlake Terrace has drawn added attention from its opponents, Sood said.
Going in as the league’s top seed only will increase the attention.
“Every team out there wants to get us because we’re the No. 1 seed,” Fernandez said.
“It’s part of the territory. We welcome it,” Sood added. “It’s not something that just happens. You have to earn that. I hope our guys thrive under it.”
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