The Mount Si boys basketball team showed last week why they could be legitimate contenders for the state tournament with three solid performances.
In the final regular-season home game, Mount Si outlasted Mercer Island in overtime, 64-62. Tanner Riley scored 28 to lead the Wildcats.
It was a special night for the team’s seniors. The game on Thursday, Feb. 12, could be the final one for five seniors: Zach Brevick, Tyson Riley, Tucker Edwards-King, Jake Hamilton and Spencer MacEwan. All five were given gifts and had their pictures taken at midcourt, then the senior class started the game as the Wildcats hosted Mercer Island.
It started out on a tough note, as the Class of 2009 spotted the Islanders a 7-0 lead before they were subbed out midway through the first quarter. From that point to halftime the Wildcat defense shut things down, and it turned into a great game. Mount Si defenders only gave up six points through the remainder of the first half, and the Wildcats were up 20-13 at halftime.
“We talked to them at the beginning of the night about Senior Night, how fun Senior Night is and how the seniors get their opportunity, and then the sophomores and juniors,” Mount Si coach Jeff D’Ambrosio said. “Their gift to the seniors on Senior Night is to come in, when they get in, just play their hearts out and play with as much intensity as they can for the seniors. That’s exactly what they did.”
The senior group started the second half, but their time as a unit was much shorter this time as the Islanders started to creep back in. Mount Si maintained a hold on the lead until the fourth, when MI took the lead. They held that advantage before Mount Si rallied to go ahead 52-51 on a Nelson basket with 50 seconds left in regulation. Tanner Riley hit a pair of free throws to extend it to 54-51, but the Islanders came down for one last shot to tie. Jonathan Poli, with less than a second left on the clock, took that shot for MI, and it went in to tie things at 54-54 and force the extra frame.
The overtime was a seesaw battle, as the Islanders attempted to take control, only to see the Wildcats rally one more time. A Dallas Smith basket with 1:11 left in the frame gave Mount Si the lead for good, and another bucket by Nelson along with two more free throws from Tanner Riley iced it. A three at the buzzer by MI’s Peter Zajac was too little, too late, and the Wildcat student section stormed the floor in celebration of the school’s biggest victory since their state tournament run in 2006.
Zupan had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds to pace Mount Si, while Smith also added 11 to aid the winning effort. Taylor Campbell added 10 boards to help the Wildcats.
The win set up a rematch against MI last Saturday at Interlake High School for a district berth. Tanner Riley scored 17 to help the Wildcats outlast MI one more time, by a 38-36 count.
The Wildcats traveled to Bellevue, Tuesday, Feb. 10, to take on the Bellevue Wolverines. Mount Si was looking for a signature win, but it would have to wait, as Bellevue used a big night from one of their stars to pick up the victory.
Alex Schrempf, son of ex-Sonic Detlef Schrempf, scored 21 points to lead the Wolverines to a 64-52 victory.
Tanner Riley scored 16 points to lead Mount Si, while Zander Nelson added 13 for the Wildcats.
Mount Si plays in the Kingco Tournament this week Games are Thursday and Friday at Bellevue Community College.
