Stickney’s free throws ensure Lake Stevens’ trophy

Published 9:54 am Saturday, March 7, 2009

TACOMA — During what might be the final week of his basketball career at any level, Sean Stickney has shown quite an ability to leave a lasting impression.

Today, the Lake Stevens High School senior will get one more chance.

Stickney hit two free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining Friday afternoon, giving the Vikings a 50-49 win and assuring Lake Stevens of its first state-tournament trophy in boys basketball since 1982.

“It’s amazing,” Lake Stevens coach Mark Hein said after the Vikings upset Eisenhower to advance to the fifth-place game of the 4A tournament at the Tacoma Dome. “This team was picked to finish third in our league and wasn’t supposed to make any noise here (at the state tournament). All the things they’ve been able to accomplish, it just amazes me.”

One day after posting 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Thursday win over Decatur, Stickney put up 25 and 13 in Friday’s win. His two free throws came after he took on three Eisenhower defenders in the lane, getting fouled with 1.5 seconds to play.

“I couldn’t even feel myself. It was surreal,” Stickney said of standing on the free-throw line in that situation. “Two free throws to win a state trophy? That’s the kind of stuff you dream about when you’re a kid.”

While Stickney was the most visible hero from Friday’s win, he certainly wasn’t the Vikings’ lone shining star.

Teammate Ryan Legg, also a senior, scored the most important of his 14 points after a steal and layup cut Eisenhower’s lead to two, at 46-44, with 1:25 remaining. During a fourth quarter that saw the Vikings trail by six points with two minutes to go, Legg followed a Stickney lay-in by stripping Eisenhower point guard James Lopez and converting the bucket.

After two Eisenhower free throws, Stickney added a basket and senior Shane Kaska hit a layup with 26 seconds remaining to tie the score at 48.

Eisenhower’s Tyler Berman made one of two free throws at the other end for a 49-48 lead with 12.5 seconds to go, then Stickney got the ball in the lane and drew the crucial foul as the clock clicked down.

In three games this tournament, the 6-foot-4 Stickney has averaged 24.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per outing.

“He’s made my job a little bit easier this week,” Hein said of Stickney, who has yet to garner much interest from college basketball programs.

The Vikings will face Redmond in today’s consolation final after the Mustangs rallied from a big deficit to beat Mariner 44-38 in the other consolation semifinal.

Redmond 44, Mariner 38

Mariner was in total control for the entire first half of its consolation semifinal against Redmond. The Marauders held Redmond to 4-for-17 shooting en route to a 21-13 halftime lead before the Mustangs started to chip away at Mariner’s lead.

Mariner went 1-for-11 from the field during one stretch of the second half, allowing Redmond to come all the way back and take a 38-35 lead three minutes into the fourth quarter.

Michael Minor hit a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 1 second remaining to keep the Marauders within two points, but he missed two potential tying shots in the final 25 seconds before Redmond clinched the win at the free-throw line.

Redmond had 15 offensive rebounds, nine of which came after halftime.

“If we just would’ve blocked out for two minutes …” Mariner coach Dexter Griffen said.

Minor finished with 10 points but was just four of 14 from the field. The most difficult misses, of course, came in the final 25 seconds.

“Lately we’ve been in that situation a lot, and usually (teammate) Tevin (Dillon) takes over,” Minor said. “It was in my hands this time.”

A clearly disappointed Griffen was able to put his team’s loss in perspective.

“I’m satisfied with the season because it’s such a good group,” the longtime coach said. “These kids went to three state tournaments, and not many people get to say that.”

Lake Stevens’ Vikings are also somewhat satisfied now that they’re assured a trophy. “This means a lot,” the Vikings’ Legg said. “When we came down here, even the kids in our school and the people in town were saying: ‘Hey, at least you made it there.’

“No one believed in us but us. We knew we could do this.”

At the Tacoma Dome

Lk. Stevens7141118—50

Eisenhower9111316—49

Lake Stevens—Legg 14, Isaksen 0, Finley 0, Schneider 2, TJ Dodge 1, Hanson 0, Maw 0, Stickney 25, J. Dodge 0, Kaska 8. Eisenhower—Gaut 10, Watson 0, Lopez 17, Elmo 8, Berman 5, Bonzer 9. 3-point goals—None. Records—Lake Stevens 22-5 overall. Eisenhower 26-3.

Mariner912116—38

Redmond851615—44

Mariner—Yusuf 2, Minor 10, Doerscher 4, Dillon 10, McCulloch 2, Malysheff 5, Purnell 5. Redmond—Ellis 2, Leland 3, Harington 22, Gonia 4, Ju. Alexander 5, Tufa 2, Wisman 0, Ja. Alexander 6. 3-point goals—Leland 1, Minor 1, Dillon 1. Records—Mariner 20-6 overall. Redmond 18-10.