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| Published March 9, 2004 :: Home |
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Still looking for that elusive first Class 2A state basketball trophy, East Valley's boys open their state tournament trip since 2001 Wednesday with Steilacoom at 2 p.m. For East Valley, the game opens a quest to claim a state trophy for the first time since 1993 and presents an opportunity to improve on EVHS' 1-6 record in its past three tournaments dating to its days as a 1A school. It is also a chance for the team to put a weekend of tragedy and sorrow behind them and get back to basketball. The grandfather of guard Isaiah Mata was killed in a car accident Saturday while on his way to the district tournament in Wenatchee. The boys game was canceled and the tight-knit athletic community at EVHS closed ranks to help everyone deal with the stunning events. Wednesday's opponent, West Central district champion Steilacoom, also spent time reflecting and putting things in perspective before traveling here, coach Gary Wusterbarth said. Now the teams try to focus on basketball. East Valley (13-10) has been a harbinger of middle-of-the-road consistency this year, never losing or winning more than three straight games. The Red Devils split 10 CWAC South games, but won two elimination games to get to the Dome. EVHS coach Steve Elder said earlier in the week that while it is an honor to play a tradition-bound team like Steilacoom, his team was still focusing on other issues.
Michael Lewis is the linchpin for Steilacoom, which has lost three straight
Wednesday games. The 6-foot-2 senior is averaging 15.9 points and 8.0
rebounds a game for the Point guard Pat Lynch, the school's all-time assist leader who is averaging 5.7 assists a game for his career, starts the offense. Wusterbarth has taken 15 Sentinel teams to state. He said he expects the Red Devils to try and pressure Lynch to disrupt Steilacoom's offense from its inception. "In a game like this, it's real easy to get pressed into playing a gym rat game," Wusterbarth said. "We have to make sure we are the ones who control the tempo. If we run, it has to be because we want to run." Tyler Price is the key to East Valley's inside game, averaging 14.1 points a game, while sophomore sharpshooter Drew Edgerly is the long-range threat, averaging 11.1. The teams have met twice before at state, with Steilacoom winning games in 1985 and 1995.
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