MILL CREEK — So much for rebuilding.
After sailing into the postseason in recent years behind brothers Drew and Jamie Eisinger, who both earned Herald Player of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007, respectively, more than a few folks expected the young Jackson Timberwolves to be regrouping this season.
But, Jackson — a team with just three seniors on its roster — used a hail of 3-pointers to clinch a berth in next month’s 4A district playoffs with a 61-49 victory over the Mountlake Terrace Hawks in a Western Conference South Division game Tuesday night.
With the triumph Jackson improved to 8-5 in the division and 9-8 overall. Mountlake Terrace slipped to 5-8, 6-11.
“A lot of people talked about this being a rebuilding year with all the people we’ve lost,” Jackson coach Steve Johnson said. “I was proud of the fact we bounced back from a loss (at Lynnwood last Friday) and came out and grabbed a district berth.”
The host Timberwolves’ trio of Brett Kingma (21 points), Ryan Todd (18) and Josh Gootee (12) combined to bury eight 3-pointers as Jackson outscored Mountlake Terrace 24-6 from behind the arc.
Gootee, a senior, scored all of his points on 3-pointers, including a buzzer beater from deep in the left corner at the end of the first half that gave Jackson a 29-20 lead after Mountlake Terrace had cut a 13-point deficit down to six late in the second quarter.
“I was feeling it, and right when I let it go I knew it was going in,” Gootee said. “Tonight we played as a team, had good chemistry, we passed well and, obviously, we were hitting our shots … A lot of people didn’t expect us to get very far (this season). Now, let’s just see what we can do.”
Gootee, a senior, said he saw limited game action last season, but gained a lot by playing against Jamie Eisinger in practice day after day.
“I saw plenty of (Eisinger),” Gootee said with a laugh. “But it was fun, it was crazy, because he’s such a great athlete.”
Now, he is a leader on a team that features a freshman (Kingma) and a sophomore (Todd) in its starting backcourt.
“They’re real mature, for being that young and playing a varsity sport,” Gootee said of the pair.
Gootee’s development this season has been a key for Jackson.
“Josh has really stepped up for us,” Johnson said. “I’m excited for him to come out tonight and play so well in such a meaningful game.”
Jackson came into the game minus leading rebounder Bryan Koch and back-up post Ricky Kellogg (both out sick) and needed all the outside shooting it could muster to overcome the inside strength of the Hawks. It didn’t help the Timberwolves when post David Sullivan (seven points) drew two quick fouls in the first quarter.
Mountlake Terrace’s 6-foot-7 post Karsten Strieby, a junior, scored 16 of his team-high 19 points in the second half. Strieby had numerous put-backs and his jumper in the paint brought the Hawks within 54-45 with 2:35 to play, after they had trailed by as many as 16 points in the contest.
Tarik Kunduklija added 13 for Mountlake Terrace as he and Strieby fed each other nicely inside.
“(Mountlake Terrace has some big guys who are very effective,” Johnson said. “We always try to play within our principles and tonight we did a nice job of driving the crease and kicking the ball out … of course, it always looks good when the shots are going in.”
Todd played the entire game, while Kingma never rested until aggravating a nagging back injury after falling hard to floor when he made a lay-in with 1:57 remaining in the game.
“(Todd) played great, handling the ball and he had to score, defend and rebound,” Johnson said. “(Kingma’s back) has been kind of hurting off and off all year so hopefully he’ll keep plugging along.”
Kingma scored five quick points to spark Jackson to a 7-1 lead in the opening two minutes. Mountlake Terrace got within 8-7 when Kunduklija scored in the paint off an assist from Strieby.
Gootee buried a pair of 3-pointers in the next minute to key a 10-0 Jackson run to end the first quarter.
After trailing by as many as 13, the Hawks clawed to within 26-20 on a jumper in the key by Strieby and a steal and layin by Rhett Bouche with 10 seconds remaining in the half, but Gootee’s buzzer beater gave Jackson a nine-point bulge at the break.
At Jackson H.S.
Mountlake Terrace7131514—49
Jackson18111814—61
Mountlake Terrace — Sells 3, Beeninga 3, Bouche 5, Kunduklija 13, Clingan 4, Robinson 2, Strieby 19. Jackson — Kingma 21, Todd 18, Gootee 12, Oh 3, Sullivan 7, Gay, Bray. 3-point goals — Beeninga 1, Bouche 1, Kingma 3, Todd 1, Gootee 4. J.V. score — Mountlake Terrace def. Jackson. Records — Mountlake Terrace — 5-8 in division, 6-11 overall. Jackson 8-5, 9-8.
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