MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — A third-quarter barrage carried the Mountlake Terrace boys basketball team to a 72-53 victory over Kamiak Dec. 17.
The Hawks, who scored 22 points in the first half for a one-point lead over the Knights, simply could not miss during a 33-point third quarter in the Western Conference South Division game.
“If we shot like that every night, I’d sleep a lot better,” said Mountlake Terrace coach Nalin Sood, whose team improved to 3-0. “We got on a roll.”
Much of the stunning display of offense came from Sean Gearin, who lit up Knights with 21 points, including 11 in the third quarter of the game played in the Mountlake Terrace gym. The 6-foot-2 senior guard hit five 3-point baskets in the game, including three in the third quarter.
Gearin’s performance came only four days after a 3-for-17 shooting performance against Shorewood. One of those three shots, however, was the game-winner. Gearin, who scored 17 points in the second half, spent the last few days trying to iron out the kinks in his shot.
Gearin, like his team, struggled to score in the first half. At halftime, the Hawks got an earful from Sood, who, when asked what he told his team at halftime said, “You probably could have heard it through the wall.”
“Coach told us we needed to execute in the second half,” Gearin said. “It was really bad in the first half, but in the second half we executed like we wanted to.”
Sood said Gearin sometimes slumped for several games in a row last year, so he wasn’t sure if Friday’s woes would continue against Kamiak.
“He came up to me before the game and said, ‘Coach, I’m going to break out,’” Sood said. “To be honest, I had my doubts. He really showed some maturity.”
Kamiak, playing without guard Nate Saban, who injured his shoulder in Friday’s loss to Everett, could not find an answer to Terrace’s 3-point party. The Hawks made 11 in the game, including four by Luke Hammond, who scored 14 points. Ryan Strieby hit a pair before picking up his fourth and fifth fouls in a span of seven seconds to foul out with 5:48 remaining. Strieby and Jacob Caldwell each scored 11 points.
By the time Strieby departed, the Hawks did no longer needed their 6-foot-6 post. Terrace outscored the Knights 18-2 during a 21/2-minute span in the third quarter to take a 45-28 lead.
By the time the Hawks’ third-quarter shooting clinic ended, Kamiak trailed 55-34.
The Knights, who opened a deadly early-season schedule against Snohomish, Marysville-Pilchuck and Everett, fell to 0-2 in the division and 1-3 overall with Mukilteo School district-rival Mariner looming Friday night.
Early on, a 33-point quarter by the Hawks seemed as likely WSU coach Mike Price moving to Alabama.
Apparently, anything is possible.
The Knights turned the ball over seven times in the first quarter, but trailed only 10-8. The Hawks managed only four points in the game’s first seven minutes, conserving offense for later. In three seconds of clock time, Terrace hit a pair of 3-point baskets to get the offense on track late in the quarter.
Just as Strieby released his 3-point shot, Kamiak committed a foul under the basket to give the possession back to the Hawks. Hammond’s 3-pointer off the inbounds pass gave Terrace a 10-6 advantage with 55 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Kamiak turned the ball over only twice in the second quarter, in which the Knights outscored Terrace 13-12 to trail 22-21 at the half. Terrace turned the ball over five times in the quarter, bringing both teams’ totals to nine in the half.
Aaron Rosenberger led the Knights with 15 points. Steve Murphy’s dunk with 26 seconds remaining gave Kamiak fans something to cheer about.
Aaron Coe is a writer for the (Everett) Herald.
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