MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — For the first time this season, the Mountlake Terrace boys basketball team scored 50 points.
It wasn’t enough to snag a win for the struggling Hawks.
Mountain View of Vancouver downed Mountlake Terrace 62-52 in the third-place game at the Edmonds School District Holiday Tournament Dec. 29 at Mountlake Terrace High School.
In the opening round of the four-team tournament, Skyline hung on to beat Mountlake Terrace 52-49. Skyline’s 6-foot-10 senior center Nick Jones converted a 3-point play in the final minute that proved to be the dagger in the Hawks’ heart.
The Hawks, now 1-6 overall, returned no starters this year after they placed third in the class 4A state tournament last year. Nonconference games against quality opponents like Skyline and Mountain View provide opportunities for the young team to learn from its mistakes.
“I think in the long run these losses will help us ‘cause we realize in pressure situations we got to take care of the ball better and step up and make winning plays,” said senior forward Brad Balch, who led the Hawks with 12 points.
Against Mountain View, the Hawks never led and were down 37-30 at the half.
The Thunder built a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter. Balch hit a 3-pointer to bring the Hawks within 58-50 but a Mountlake Terrace turnover with 1:50 killed the momentum.
“We’re still struggling to find our rhythm, our identity on offense,” Balch said.
The Hawks’ Josh Griffin, a 6-foot-3 junior forward, had some success scoring inside in the first quarter until he picked up his third foul and headed to the bench with 3:01 left in the second period.
“He works his butt off down low. I mean, he’s a tough player, he’s a big body,” Balch said. “He’s definitely a guy we need to help us get to the playoffs. He could be a force down low. The only guy that can really stop him is himself.”
The Hawks, who are near the bottom of the Western Conference South Division with a 1-4 record, need to turn things around quickly with two-thirds of the season left.
Ryan Webb, a former Terrace player, now a junior guard on the Seattle University team, gave the Hawks a pep talk during the winter break.
“He said we need to step up and play Terrace basketball, not basketball, but Terrace basketball,” Balch said. “Right now we’re not really doing that. We just need to get down and gritty and play good defense. We’re not really doing that right now.”
O’Dea beat Skyline 68-58 for the tournament title on Dec. 29. Jamelle McMillan, son of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan, led O’Dea with 21 points.
O’Dea, the defending two-time Class 3A champions, knocked off 64-55 Mountain View to make the final.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
