Jackson boys roll over Glacier Peak 83-61

Published 10:48 am Monday, December 6, 2010

SNOHOMISH

In a spirited early-season showdown between two top teams, Jackson had too much firepower for host Glacier Peak and cruised to an 83-61 boys basketball victory on Dec. 3.

Guard Brett Kingma tossed in 35 points and forward Austin OKeefe chipped in 22 for the Timberwolves, who improved their record to 2-0 in the young season. This was the first game for the Grizzlies, who were led by the 19 points of forward Payton Pervier and the 17 points of forward Jack Bonner.

In a noisy gym packed with students from both schools, the teams traded leads through the first quarter and into the second. But Jackson went ahead to stay midway through the second quarter, though it wasnt until the late minutes that the T-wolves turned the game into a romp.

I knew it was going to be a tough game and I was pleasantly surprised, said Jackson coach Steve Johnson. You never really know until some of your younger kids have to step up and play in that kind of environment and against a high caliber opponent.

So Im pleased, he said. We have a lot more to work on and we cant always rely on being able to shoot that well. But it was a fun environment and a rivalry type of game, and Im certainly happy with the result.

Jackson broke open a tight game with a late second-quarter surge. Trailing 25-24, the T-wolves outscored Glacier Peak 21-9 in the final five minutes of the first half a spurt highlighted by three 3-point goals by Kingma for a 45-34 margin at the break.

Were able to score in runs, Johnson said. Thats the kind of team we are. We have that personality. … We can play at a fast pace and score (quickly), no doubt about it.

We know that Jackson is definitely a team of runs, said Glacier Peak coach Brian Hunter. Theyre a group thatll string together points quickly. One of our goals was to limit that, and in that second quarter we did not.

Although they never led in the second half, the Grizzlies had their chances. Led by Pervier and Bonner, Glacier Peak twice closed within five points midway through the third quarter.

The Grizzlies had an opportunity to draw even closer in the final period, but they missed seven free throws in the first three minutes of the quarter, and from that point Jackson began to pull away.

Kingma, who will play next season at the University of Oregon, started slowly for Jackson, missing several shots in the early moments. But he soon found his range and had 20 points at halftime, and then pushed his total to 35 with 12 points in the final quarter.

Younger brother Dan Kingma, a freshman, got in the game in the waning seconds and sank two free throws, drawing big cheers from his brother and the rest of the Jackson crowd.

Glacier Peak, meanwhile, still has high hopes for this season, despite the opening setback. There were a lot of times in this game, Hunter said wryly, when we looked like we were playing our first game of the year.

We were excited to play, he added, but I think this was a good lesson on how hard you have to play at all times. … I just dont think we were ready focus-wise to compete.

Rich Myhre writes for the Herald in Everett.