Juanita Girls and Lake Washington Boys Facing KingCo Basketball Tournament Challenges Tuesday

All four teams left in the KingCo 3A/2A league tournament have locked up spots in the Sea-King district playoffs, but where they are seeded in that tourney depends on the outcome of the next round of games. Here’s a look at the teams now vying for the KingCo 3A/2A league championship and a top seed in districts.

Bellevue – The Wolverines romped through league play this year, winning 13 and losing just one. Nate Sikma leads the team in scoring with over 20 points per game, but guard Will Locke is just behind him at 18 ppg. Bellevue has won seven straight games, all by double-digits.

Mercer Island – The Islanders come into the tournament on a hot streak, having won five straight since a loss to Bellevue. Mercer Island has had to battle through injuries all year, losing both of its star players early in the year to injuries. Quinn Sterling is back now and scored 20 points last week against Lake Washington, a good sign for the resilient Islanders.

Mount Si – Just a week ago, Mount Si was tied with Mercer Island for the second spot in the conference. But the Wildcats lost the final three league games, before beating Liberty on Saturday. Dallas Smith leads Mount Si in scoring at just under 17 ppg.

– The Kangaroos are the lowest seed left in the tournament, but they showed Saturday that they cannot be counted out. Lake Washington trailed Sammamish by 17 at halftime of their loser-out game, but roared back for a thrilling 66-64 win.

Match-ups (Games on Tuesday Feb, 8 at Bellevue College):

Mercer Island vs. Mount Si 3 p.m. –  The Islanders seem to have found a groove late in the season, with unexpected players stepping into major roles. With Sterling back in the lineup, Mercer Island has to be considered the favorite.

Patch Pick – Mercer Island 67, Mount Si 59

Bellevue vs. Lake Washington 6:30 p.m. – Bellevue is looking more and more like the team people thought was a top-10 in state talent at the start of the year. The Wolverines have cruised in the last three weeks and should continue that trend against the tough Kangs.

Patch Pick – Bellevue 70, Lake Washington 60

 KingCo 3A/2A Girls tournament

The top four seeds all advanced to the second round of the KingCo 3A/2A leage tournament and gained spots in the Sea-King district playoffs. Mercer Island handled Bellevue with a big second half, while Liberty needed a furious comeback (down 13 entering the fourth quarter) to advance. Juanita and Mount Si had first round byes. Here’s a look at the teams that are left.

– The Rebels cruised through most of league play, ripping off 10 straight wins against conference foes. But Juanita finally showed it was vulnerable, as it lost two games late in league play – both to teams they had already beaten by double digits – before rebounding with easy victories against the leagues bottom two teams. The Rebels have plenty of options on offense, including Mikayla Jones and Kate Cryderman, who average over 25 points per game between them.

Mount Si – The Wildcats surmounted a surprising late challenge to Juanita for the number one seed, winning six of their last seven league games. Mount Si went 4-2 against the remaining opponents in the regular season and is led by Hailey Eddings, who is averaging over 16 ppg.

Mercer Island – Head coach Jamie Prescott’s crew is either the most underrated or overrated team in the conference, depending on the day you watch them play. The Islanders followed up a mid-season three-game losing streak with an impressive six-game winning streak, including a 15-point win in the opening round of the tournament. Jae Shin and Hailey Gullstad lead the potentially explosive Islanders.

Liberty – The Patriots season is still alive because of a frantic rally against Lake Washington in the first round, as Liberty outscored the Kangs 19-5 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. Danni Sjolander leads the Patriots in scoring, at over 13 ppg.

Match-ups (Both games at Bellevue College, Feb. 8):

Mount Si vs. Mercer Island 4:45 p.m. – Mount Si has been on a mission late in the season and seems intent on getting to a third game against rival Juanita. But the Islanders are a wild card, having the outside shooting ability to beat any team on any day.

Patch Pick: Mercer Island 56, Mount Si 54

Juanita vs. Liberty 8:15 p.m. – The Rebels, despite two late-season losses, are a team that is unlikely to lose. Head coach Sam W. Lee has a roster that can go eight-deep and can win with an outside shooting game, or a strong post offense. Liberty has the potential to hang, but is up against a tough opponent in Juanita.

Patch Pick: Juanita 54, Liberty 40