Unknowns nag
at Knights teams

By DAVE THOMAS
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Sunnyside Christian reaching the state basketball tournaments is a sure a sign that spring is nearing as the flowers blooming.

Whether the Knights' sojourn to this year's Class 1B state tournament blossoms into a serious state-title run, however, is marked by an underlying sense of uncertainty.

In the boys' case, coach Dean Wagenaar is still not completely sure how his still-young squad will stand up to the tournament pressure, made more challenging by the Knights landing in difficult bracket.

"If you match us up against the best of the best, I'm not sure if we're there," he said. "I hope we are. I believe we are."

Uncertainty surrounding the girls comes in a more tangible form.

Coach Al Smeenk doesn't know what to expect since four-year standout Hilari Bosma injured her knee a few weeks back. She will play this week, but those minutes will be limited and Smeenk isn't sure how effective she will be.

"We've obviously had to readjust," he said. "She's a four-year starter ... and anyone we put out there is not as good (right now) as she is.

"But we have seven seniors who have been there (at state) before ... and we're working hard and they have a great attitude."

Even with those concerns, Sunnyside Christian is considered strong contenders in both tournaments that begin Wednesday in the SunDome.

The fifth-ranked girls, making their sixth straight state trip and 11th in school history go first, opening at 5:30 p.m. against Northwest Yeshiva. The third-ranked boys, making an 11th straight appearance, 17th overall and seeking a third 1B title in four years, is up next at 7:30 p.m. against Pateros.

Despite their youth -- Tim DeVries is the lone senior on the 12-man roster -- the boys have state experience, and with the team's steady improvement since early January, the Knights' favorite status is well-deserved, despite the coach's concerns.

Wagenaar said the turnaround came just after Christmas, following a loss to Liberty Christian.

"The week after Christmas, we had some pretty intense practices," he said. "That week put us in the right direction and everyone grew up. Right now, we're a very good team. If we're at that next level, I don't know. I think we are, but we'll see this week."

After that week of practice, the Knights beat White Swan, ranked ninth in Class 2B, and lost a close game to 2B Riverside Christian. They haven't lost since then, bringing a 14-game winning streak and 19-3 record into state.

"We've probably established more of a consistent identity as the season progressed," Wagenaar said, adding the return of guard Steven Bosma (broken collarbone) in January also gave the team a boost. "They do trust each other more, and another thing we've made great strides in is taking care of the basketball. That's just from the experience we've gained."

Finding that consistent stride has eluded the 18-4 girls, Smeenk said, adding it could become more difficult to find this week with Bosma at less than 100 percent.

"Sometimes we play pretty well, but other times we make mistakes," he said. "Without Hilari, we'll probably simplify things, but the players do help each other and talk on the court."

Smeenk has been encouraged by the way the team has rallied together since Bosma's injury, and knows that with their experience, which includes a third-place finish last season, they won't be intimidated by the pressures of state.

That said, he said the biggest challenge will be replacing some of Bosma's offense. The team's best outside shooter is also its only double-digit scorer, averaging 10.3 points per game.

"We need someone to step up," he said, adding that he doesn't expect or want just one or two players trying to fill that void.

"We talked about that. We have a number of players who can score six, eight, nine points, but in the same breath, we don't have a go-to scorer," he said. "They all need to step up a little bit, but not one of them has to take it all on. The key thing for us is that we have balanced scoring."

Given both team's past state success, opponents better not believe that the uncertainties surrounding the Knights will prevent either from making it through to Saturday -- perhaps even playing in those final games.

That seems certain.