Junior power forward and team captain Miles N. ‘23 yelled emphatically to his teammates as he was pummeled with hi-fives and congratulations. His 4th quarter bucket had drawn us within 1 point on Fan Night against King’s School (Shoreline), a perennial 1A state championship contender. The momentum eventually fizzled, but Miles’ 29-point showing didn’t go unnoticed. He has provided a consistent scoring outlet, averaging 23 points over 20 games while earning a spot on the Emerald Sound Conference’s all-league 1st team.
Despite his impressive effort, this game marked yet another defeat in a string of losses dating from early January to the end of the regular season, most notably stemming from COVID outbreaks and a key injury to all-league starter Seth H. ‘23. This streak was punctuated by a buzzer-beating loss to long-time rival Seattle Academy.
Dejection seems natural, but you couldn’t tell that the team has hit a rough stretch from the upbeat locker room atmosphere. Growth, joy, and support were sentiments echoed by head coach Matt L. for the entirety of the season. These values have become staples of the NWS boys basketball program, written on the whiteboard before every game and film session. All 3 were undoubtedly on full display while on the brink of elimination during our 77-51 playoff win over Summit Sierra. Even sweeter, the win came on Senior Night, which was highlighted by senior guard Alex “Bucketvec” B. ‘22’s electric corner 3-pointer.
Of course, all great things have to come to an end. Unfortunately, our team fell to Sultan in the conference tournament this past Thursday, ending the season and any state tournament hopes. Regardless of the untimely ending, the immense amount of love and appreciation in the program was evident from the teary-eyed locker room conversation, hugs, and laughter. This was a special team, and we want to thank everyone for their fantastic support throughout the season!
