Led by a stellar performance by senior guard Chris Harrington, the Redmond boys’ basketball team defeated the Roosevelt Roughriders, 50-44, in a 4A Kingco district seeding playoff game Thursday night at Juanita High School.
Harrignton led all scorers with 22 points as the Mustangs put themselves on the brink of achieving what they have been gunning for since day one of the season: a berth to next week’s state tournament at the Tacoma Dome.
The Mustangs (15-9) are scheduled to play Mountain View of Vancouver on Saturday in a winner-to-state, loser-out playoff game at Redmond High at 7 p.m.
“We’ll roll it out and give it everything we have. If we (can do that), we’ll live with what happens,” said Redmond coach Jeff Larson said. “We’re so excited. This is what this group of guys has worked for … we’re not afraid of it, we’re just excited for the chance.”
Besides Harrington, Redmond had fine contributions from point guard Will Ellis, who put in nine, and post player Jared Alexander, who added eight.
The Mustangs, who have won four of five, are hoping to put together another winning combination Saturday night.
“It’s a big game, we’ve been waiting all season for it,” said Ellis, a senior. “We want it, and I think if we play hard, we’ll get it.”
Ironically, the Mustangs are in an identical situation from the 2006-07 season when they played Mountain View in a winner-to-state, loser-out game. Redmond is hoping for a repeat result as it beat the Thunder, 66-55, to earn a state berth. Last season, the Mustangs missed out on the state tournament.
The Mustangs trailed by eight at the halftime against the Roughriders after shooting just 6 for 19 from the field. But after a crucial halftime pep talk from Larson, Redmond came out firing on all cylinders in the second half.
“We were losing the battle inside, and that’s something we’ve been trying to improve on,” Larson said. “We were out-rebounded and outscored in the paint in the first half, and it’s time to take it personal. We have to find a way to keep teams out of the paint.”
The Mustangs took their coach’s words to heart as they protected the paint on defense and attacked the lane on offense.
Redmond started the third quarter with an 8-0 run and shot an incredible 11 of 13 in the second half as a team.
Harrington contributed seven consecutive points for the ‘Stangs as they drained eight out of their last 10 free throws in the fourth quarter to keep the game just out of the Roughriders’ reach.
“It’s a long season… and after that much time it kinda comes down to ‘who still has that love for the game, who can still play hard, who still wants to play for their school?'” Larson explained.
Although it wasn’t a do-or-die game for either team, the Mustangs’ victory gives them an important home-court advantage for Saturday night’s winner-take-all, loser-goes-home playoff. Roosevelt must travel south and play at Heritage of Vancouver in its winner-to-state, loser-out game on Saturday.
“It’s nice. It’s hard to travel and be on the road,” Larson said of playing what will be his team’s biggest game of the season Saturday night at Redmond High School. “What more can you ask for, a winner-to-state game at home. It’s all or nothing.”
