Mount Si’s boys basketball team is right where it wanted to be from the start of the season: The 4A state tournament championship game.
With their large throng of supporters backing them the whole way, the Wildcats achieved what no other team has accomplished this season: They handed Glacier Peak its first defeat, 62-49, in the semifinals on Friday night at the Tacoma Dome. The second-seeded Grizzlies now stand at 25-1.
Third-seeded Mount Si (25-4) will play fourth-seeded Central Valley (25-2) at 3 p.m. Saturday for the crown at the Dome. The Wildcats would like to bury last season’s 69-43 loss to Gonzaga Prep in the final with a win on Saturday.
Against Glacier Peak, Tyler Patterson notched 17 points, including five 3-pointers; Hayden Curtiss had 16 points, including three dunks — one of which resulted in a bent rim that had to be mended — and nine rebounds; and Quin Patterson amassed 14 points, including four treys.
Mount Si bolted out to a 13-0 run to begin the game and led 26-23 at halftime. The Wildcats held the Grizzlies scoreless until the 7:28 mark of the second quarter.
The locals hit a 10-point advantage of 37-27 when Bennett O’Connor drained a trey with four minutes left in the third quarter. Mount Si furthered its lead to 43-30 when Jabe Mullins whipped a brilliant pass to Quin Patterson, who calmly sunk a trey.
Sophomore Quin said the team will come ready to go on Saturday and they’re excited to return to the final. He noted that defense was the key in the win against Glacier Peak.
“We start with defense, we came out of the gate with an 11-0 run (to end the first quarter). The second quarter, we kind of fell asleep on D a couple times, so that hurt us a little bit, but then we came out in the second half ready to go,” he said.
Combining with his brother Tyler, a senior, for 31 points and nine treys made for a special night.
“We’ve been shooting together for 15 years now or whatever, so it feels great to be out here alongside him and one last ride for both of us together,” Quin said with a smile.
So who wins the majority of the one-on-one Patterson contests at home?
“Oh, for sure, him, but there’s a couple times where I get a win in here and there,” Quin said.
They’ll be plugging away together again versus Central Valley on Saturday with the support of their raucous fans.
“I always know our fans are gonna be behind us,” Quin said. “See them in school in the hall, they’re always, ‘Good luck tonight, we’ll be there.’”