Sultan takes third seed to 2A state tournament
Published 9:54 am Saturday, March 7, 2009
BELLINGHAM — Sultan had one more tune-up for the 2A state tournament on Friday night in its District 1 playoff for third place against Anacortes. Sultan was able to rebound from a slow start and get the victory 75-61.
Sultan takes the third seed to state from the district, Anacortes takes the fourth. Joining them at the 2A state tournament, which kicks off Wednesday, at the SunDome in Yakima, will be district champion Squalicum, a 83-50 winner over runner-up Burlington-Edison.
Sultan coach Nate Trichler said defense was the key to victory, but his team didn’t have it working for the whole game.
“We came out of the gates really slow,” Trichler said. “We definitely did not bring the energy that we normally bring at the beginning of a game.”
At one point in the first quarter, Trichler found his team behind 14-3, before sophomore Theo VandenEkart (14 points) provided a spark.
“We started playing basketball,” Trichler said of his team, which was coming off a 57-53 upset victory over Archbishop Murphy that earned their trip to state.
Sultan will find out its first-round state opponent at a drawing at the WIAA offices in Renton on Sunday. Whomever it faces, Trichler says defense will be key.
“I believe that we can play with just about anyone in the state when our defense plays well,” Trichler said. “I don’t know how that is going to relate to being on the big stage.”
At Squalicum H.S.
Anacortes209239—61
Sultan19181721—75
Anacortes—Patrick 6, Geffe 3, Mavar 10, Averill 18, Wilbur 0, T. Hayes 0, Larkin 16, R. Hayes 8. Sultan—Ruddock 6, E. VandenEkart 0, Barnhill 14, Beebe 1, Knoles 5, LaMunyon 11, T. VandenEkart 14, Hall 0, Nicholes 23, Cotterill 0, Patton 1, Pruitt 0. 3-point goals—Geffe 3, Larkin 2, LaMunyon 3. Records—Anacortes 13-11 overall. Sultan 15-9.
