One year ago, two players that would otherwise have made big impacts to the Mount Si boys team were riding pine due to injury.
Now, Trent Riley, a senior, and Tyler McCreadie, a junior, are back from the sidelines. Expect them to make a big difference this year on a reloaded team that includes varsity-experienced players Levi Botten, Jason Smith, and Griffin McLain, Beau Shain, Tyler Button and Jack Nelson. Eli Gogan moves up from junior varsity, while Parker Dumas looks to make an impact as a freshman newcomer.
An excited Botten related during practice last week about the reload.
“All our guys are older and bigger,” said Botten. “We’re going to come together more, be a closer-knit team than last year.”
He’ll be looking to create shots for Smith and Riley.
“Jason reads me well,” says Botten. “If I drive, he’ll move to the open spot. He understands how I play and I understand how he plays.”
Smith, who will share shooting duties with Riley, puts high expectations on the team, and has his eye on Mercer and Bellevue.
Botten, he says, is very unselfish.
“He knows what to do and where to do it,” Smith says.
What does it mean to be a Wildcat basketball player? Smith says it means hard work, in and out of the high school gym.
“You can’t come out on the first day of the season and expect to do well,” he says. “You’ve got to work toward it year-round.”
Last winter, Riley came to every Mount Si game.
“I still wanted to cheer on my team, but it was hard,” said the senior, who waited on a knee injury to heal. “I wanted to be out there and play.”
To make up for lost time, Riley’s got definite goals.
“I want to do the best I can,” specifically league awards and player honors. He’s put in time with a top club, Friends of Hoops. As a point guard, it should be exciting to see how this highly athletic, offensive player of the year in football, transitions to the game.
Mount Si Boys Basketball schedule
Tuesday, Dec. 11
• Mount Si at Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 14
• Mount Si hosts Lake Washington, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 15
• Mount Si at Mercer Island, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
• Mount Si hosts Interlake, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 21
• Mount Si hosts Liberty, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 22
• Mount Si hosts Cedarcrest, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 4
• Mount Si at Sammamish, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 8
• Mount Si at Juanita, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 11
• Mount Si at Lake Washington, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 12
• Mount Si hosts Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 15
• Mount Si at Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 18
• Mount Si at Liberty, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 22
• Mount Si hosts Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 25
• Mount Si hosts Sammamish, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 29
• Mount Si at Interlake, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 31
• Mount Si hosts Juanita, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 11
• Mount Si at Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 14
• Mount Si hosts Lake Washington, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 15
• Mount Si at Mercer Island, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
• Mount Si hosts Interlake, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 21
• Mount Si hosts Liberty, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 22
• Mount Si hosts Cedarcrest, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 4
• Mount Si at Sammamish, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 8
• Mount Si at Juanita, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 11
• Mount Si at Lake Washington, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 12
• Mount Si hosts Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 15
• Mount Si at Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 18
• Mount Si at Liberty, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 22
• Mount Si hosts Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 25
• Mount Si hosts Sammamish, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 29
• Mount Si at Interlake, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 31
• Mount Si hosts Juanita, 7:30 p.m.
