Timberwolves take fifth place at state

TACOMA — As the seconds ticked down on Drew Eisinger’s final high school game, the Jackson High School senior was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude.

Eisinger was thankful to be a member of a team still playing on the fourth and final day of the Class 4A state boys basketball tournament.

He was grateful to be coming home with a fifth-place trophy, the first piece of hardware the boys basketball team has ever brought back from the state tournament.

The Wolfpack standout also was appreciative to have had the opportunity to play with younger brother, Jamie, for the past two years.

“I was just thankful to be out here,” Drew Eisinger said. “Not that many people get to play in the Tacoma Dome and take fifth place in their senior year. It feels so good.”

His teammates shared the sentiments following the Timberwolves’ 62-54 victory over Inglemoor in the fifth-eighth place Class 4A state tournament game March 11 at the Tacoma Dome.

Jackson’s only other appearance at the state tournament was in 1997 as a 3A school. The Wolfpack went 1-2 and did not place.

The Timberwolves were the No. 3 and final seed out of district playoffs and in many respects, exceeded their expectations coming this season.

“My goal was to get to state,” Drew Eisinger said. “I never thought we’d get fifth in state. I didn’t think we’d be in the top 10. You look at our team, we don’t have that much athleticism, but you can tell we’ve got a lot of heart. That’s what I love about this team. That’s what showed in placing fifth.”

In addition to heart, the Wolfpack also had two of the top players in the state tournament in Drew Eisinger and junior guard Brian Rucker, both of whom were named to the all-tournament first team.

Eisinger scored a game-high 21 points against Inglemoor and averaged 24.5 points per game for the tournament. Rucker scored 17 points and averaged 20.7 points.

Two other Timberwolves scored in double figures in the victory over the Vikings. Junior center Dan Wishko finished with 12 points and junior guard Jamie Eisinger had 10 points.

The fifth-place finish was a goal of Rucker and the Eisingers since they were little.

“We’ve always dreamed of placing at state,” Rucker said.

The friendships among the players played a major role in Jackson’s success.

“I couldn’t ask for better teammates,” Rucker said. “We’re all best friends hanging together on the court and off the court. I think that’s part of the reason we’re so successful. We all enjoy each other’s presence … It showed out there on the court.”

With no state tournament experience, it took awhile for the Timberwolves to get used to the different surroundings and over their nervousness.

Jackson struggled from the field in its first-round loss to Curtis and much-heralded junior guard Isaiah Thomas, also an all-tournament first-team selection. The Wolfpack connected on only 30 percent of its field goals in the first half.

The team rebounded to shoot 43 percent in the second half and shot more than 41 percent in its next three contests, victories over Cascade, Kentwood and Inglemoor.

It was just a matter of time before Jackson settled down.

“At first, we were all pretty nervous, myself included,” Rucker said. “Once you got comfortable, it’s so much fun playing on here on the big stage … I just enjoyed playing each game. I was really comfortable out there. That’s why I think I was shooting the ball so well.”

Even though Jackson’s first two games against Curtis and Cascade were at 9 a.m., the stands were packed with supporters who were among the most vocal at the tournament. The high turnout continued for the next two games and was appreciated by the Timberwolves.

“We couldn’t have done it without the unbelievable support at every game,” Jackson coach Steve Johnson said. “We had great fan support … we’re really appreciative.”

Having to get up at 9 a.m. was tough, but the players handled it well, Johnson said.

Jamie Eisinger didn’t really mind the morning games. He was just glad to be at the state tournament.

“We don’t care what time it was, whether it was five in the morning or 12 at night,” he said. “We were so excited we were here … I don’t mind having a 9 o’clock game. It’s not that bad. I like sitting out the rest of the day watching games later on.”

Given the alternative, Rucker was more than happy to adjust his routine.

“Considering playing at 9 a.m. or going to school at 7:30 a.m., we’d much rather be here than at school,” he said.

Against Inglemoor, Jackson missed its first three shots and fell behind 6-0 in its final game of the tournament, which started at 11:30 a.m. A 3-pointer by Rucker got the Timberwolves back on track and Jackson took a 14-10 lead into the second quarter.

The teams battled back and forth the next two quarters with the Wolfpack taking a 39-36 third-quarter lead.

The Vikings cut the lead to 39-38 on a basket by Matt Conroy at the start of the fourth quarter, but Wishko responded with his second 3-pointer of the game to boost the lead back to 42-38. Inglemoor cut the lead to four points later in the quarter but could draw no closer.

The Wolfpack was the only Western Conference team to be playing for a trophy on Saturday. Cascade and Snohomish both were eliminated from the tournament.

“I think we can play with anybody,” Johnson said. “I think the Wesco South was, in the final analysis, a little bit better than people said. I think maybe our team was a little bit better than people thought coming into state … we certainly proved that against three good teams in the next three games. We were worthy, more than worthy.”

Drew Eisinger also is worthy of serious consideration by college coaches, Johnson said. He is the only individual ever to have played all four years on varsity for Johnson and the coach believes Eisinger has the talent for the next level.

“I just think he’s an unbelievable player,” Johnson said. “I hope some people, college coaches … are taking a look. I think the guy can definitely play.”

For Jamie Eisinger, Saturday’s game was bittersweet since it marked what was his final high school game with his older brother.

“I’ve been playing with my brother since I was a kid,” Jamie Eisinger said. “So it’s also sad but exciting … I love my brother and I never get sick of playing with him. At times, we’d get ticked off at each other and yell but we’d always make up. We’ll always love each other and be there for each other. It’ll be really hard for me next year to play without him.”

Drew Eisinger also has fond memories of his time with his younger brother and is excited for what is to come for Jamie.

“I couldn’t ask for any more. He’s my friend off the court,” Drew Eisinger said. “He’s such a good player because he finds everyone on the court. He’s such a good point guard. You can’t find a lot of people like that … He’s got a lot of potential. His best is yet to come.”

Drew Eisinger and forward Joe Markovich, the only other senior on the team, set the tone for the Timberwolves, Johnson said. The other players followed their lead and the result led to a lot of hard work at practices and ultimately a season to remember.

“They put in a ton of effort to get us there … they’re the ones who put in the effort,” Johnson said. “They’re the ones who decided they wanted to make this season special, especially after going 6-14 a year ago. It’s an unbelievable accomplishment to go 23-5 and to be fifth in state.”