Eastlake boys basketball tops Issaquah, has momentum for KingCo race
February 6, 2010
By Christopher Huber
At halftime, Eastlake head coach Pat Bangasser reminded his team that they were playing in their home gym. The last-place Issaquah Eagles boys basketball team was leading 36-29 and was hitting its shots under pressure.
“(Issaquah) got good shots. They were hot,” Bangasser said after the game. “They were hungry for a win.”
Issaquah was the home team this night due to school construction. But Eastlake had more fans and the better record. The Wolves had underestimated Issaquah’s energy coming into the contest, but the players fed off the crowd, said Eastlake guard Ryan Sikma.
“We came out in the first and didn’t respect ‘em,” he said. “They questioned our passion.”
But with ego in check, Eastlake battled back in the second half to beat Issaquah 62-52 Feb. 5 at Eastlake High School.
The schools’ bands had combined to create a more powerful pep machine and fans from both sides packed the gym.
The key to the victory for Eastlake was holding Issaquah to just one field goal — two points — in the fourth quarter, while scoring 22 of its own. The Eagles’ only basket that quarter came in the final 20 seconds, and was not nearly enough. Issaquah went to 2-12 KingCo and 5-13 overall.
Eastlake improved to 10-4 in league play and 13-5 overall.
Concerned with being down by seven at the break, Eastlake shifted gears on defense and came out playing a 1-3-1 zone, stifling any Issaquah penetration down low.
“The 1-3-1 zone defense hurt us. We weren’t moving,” said Issaquah guard Nick Price. “The 1-3-1 slowed us down and we’re a running team. So we need to keep a fast pace.”
New: Feb. 6, 7:56 p.m.
Bangasser said he wasn’t worried once his guys came out with a new attitude in the second half.
“They had the look in the eye, ‘I got it coach,’” Bangasser said.
Eastlake took the third quarter to catch up. The Eagles still led 50-40 at the end of the third. Senior forward Michael Russo, once again, came through in the clutch with 11 points in the fourth.
“I don’t think we gave ‘em any shots,” said Eastlake junior guard Conner Iraola.
Eastlake pushed the ball down low on offense and hit shots from the outside, while Issaquah lacked ball control down the stretch.
“You make defense create offense,” Sikma said.
Russo led all scorers with 28 points. Price had 17 at halftime and finished with 21 points overall. Sikma had nine points for Eastlake. Issaquah’s Joe Evans finished with 11.
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