Maw leads Lake Stevens into semis

Published 11:10 pm Wednesday, February 17, 2010

LAKE STEVENS — Aaron Maw picked a nice time to get his shot back.

Maw, a 6-foot-1 senior for Lake Stevens, tied his season high for the second straight game with 27 points in a 74-44 Vikings win over Shorewood in the opening round of the boys 4A District 1 basketball tournament Wednesday night at Lake Stevens High School.

Forward Shane Kaska added a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds and guard Arvid Isaksen, who missed the first nine games of the season, recorded 12 points and 13 rebounds for the senior-laden Vikings (16-5 overall).

Maw was averaging just more than five points per game over a three-game span late in the season before a season-high 27 point performance in the season’s final game snapped the slump.

“I just felt more relaxed, I guess,” Maw said, adding that Lake Stevens assistant coach Dave Pickering assisted with a slump-breaking shooting drill in which Maw took one-handed shots from close range to improve his release. “My teammates got me open.”

Shorewood center Adrian Simpkins, a 6-foot-6 center, scored a season-high 17 points, including nine of the Thunderbirds’ (8-13) 11 points in the third quarter.

The Thunderbirds couldn’t keep up with Lake Stevens’ quick transition game and Maw’s sharp shooting.

“This time of year you’re looking to execute and play good basketball,” Lake Stevens head coach Mark Hein said. “… It was nice for a lot of guys to play with a lot of confidence.”

Mike Schneider chipped in with five points and five assists and Jarret Hanson doled out a team-high six assists for Lake Stevens.

Shorewood kept pace with Lake Stevens in an up-tempo first quarter, but like the last time these two teams met (Dec. 4, a 57-43 Vikings win in the season opener), Lake Stevens opened up a big margin before halftime for a comfortable win.

The Vikings, who placed eighth in the 4A state tournament last season and have nine seniors on the roster, hit nine 3-pointers, including five from Maw.

Maw, who also had five assists, found a groove after halftime with 14 third-quarter points — four 3s and an inside bucket — to finish with 25 points after three quarters. The senior scored with 5 minutes, 19 seconds remaining in the game to tie his season-high and sat the final 3:37.

The Vikings, the Wesco North’s second-seeded team, faces South No. 1-seed Jackson in a winner-to-state semifinal on Saturday.

“We can handle pressure games, but it’s always nice to win by a nice margin,” Maw said. “ … We’re gonna try to do our best (against Jackson).”

At Lake Stevens H.S.

Shorewood1751111—44

Lake Stevens22162214—74

Shorewood—Brazell 2, Carroll 2, Andrews 0, Mitchell 8, Kadiric 8, Berquist 0, Smallwood 4, Simpkins 17, Hawkinson 3. Lake Stevens—Israel 5, Isaksen 12, Finley 3, Schneider 5, Hanson 0, Maw 27, S. Dodge 0, Paulson 0, Jones 0, J. Dodge 2, Kaska 17, Vandegrift 3. 3-pointers—Mitchell 2, Israel 1, Maw 5, Isaksen 2, Kaska 1. Records—Shorewood 8-13 overall. Lake Stevens 16-5.