The Islanders headed South on Tuesday to take on league rival Liberty, and pointed the bus North on I-5 on Friday,  to test their mettle against the State 3A No. 10 rated Tomahawks of Marysville-Pilchuck. 

On Tuesday,  the Islanders were defeated by Liberty, 60 to 52, as Jake Elfstrom netted 31 for the Patriots.  MI jumped to an early lead in the first quarter, but could not maintain that momentum .  Liberty took a one point lead into the half with a buzzer beating three pointer, and extended their lead to six after three at  44 to 38.   MI fought back to tie the game at 50, but could not  complete the comeback.  Joe Gormley and Adam Parker led the balanced Islander attack with 12 each, William Lee added 10 and David Pickles 7.  

The Friday night game at Marysville-Pilchuck was an early season match up of Seattle Times top 10 teams (MI currently 9th in 3A).   The Tomahawks feature University of Washington commit, 6'-4" shooting guard, RaeQuan Battle, and in this first home game created a loud and raucous environment for the Islanders.    

The T'hawks fed off the crowd energy early to take a five point lead after the first quarter, and then  maintained a four point lead into the half at 23 to 19.   Islander newcomer Nigel Seda  sparked the Islanders in the first half with a mid-court steal from Battle and a high-flying finish . 

The Islanders grinded their way to a tie at 33 after three quarters.  In the fourth quarter, the Islanders again executed down the stretch.  William Lee and Teague Conder hit big threes, and Adam Parker found the hoop from the floor and free throw line.  Nate Wenzel  also converted clutch free throws, going ten of ten from the line for the game.  In the end, the Islanders prevailed 54 to 50.  The balanced Islander attack was led by Conder and Wenzel, with 10 each, followed by Parker and Lee with 9 a piece, Seda with 6, Luke Wenzel  and David Pickles with 4, and Lukas Varney  with 2.    Battle led Marysville-Pilchuck with 21.     

This week the Islanders host two KingCo contests -- Tuesday with Juantia and Friday against Interlake.    On Friday night,  Mercer Island Basketball also celebrates its awesome alumni  -- including the 1999 State Champion team.  Come out and  support the Islanders this week!.     

The 2018-19 Islanders opened the season  with two weekend  wins against 4A  Issaquah and Eastlake. 

In the Friday night quad-game finale, MI prevailed 70-57 against  the Issaquah Eagles.  The Islanders  stepped up their defense in the second half, and  consistently found 6'-8" sophomore David Pickles in the low post for 11 second half points.  Junior Joe Gormley displayed a deft shooting touch from beyond the arc and led all  scorers with 18. 

With a short turnaround time, the Islanders tipped off against the Eastlake Wolves on Saturday night.   In a hard-fought contest, MI prevailed  64-59 in Overtime.  Eastlake took a two point lead into half-time, and stretched their advantage to eight with about 4 minutes  left in regulation.  The  Islanders stepped up their defensive intensity to force turnovers and executed on  each possession and  tied the game at 54 at the buzzer on Junior Nate Wenzel 's clutch rebound and stick back.  In Overtime it was all-Islanders as Senior Will Lee tallied  6 of his 13 points and  Junior Adam Parker scored four of his game-high 24 points.  The young, athletic Eastlake squad was led by sophomore Casey Jones 15 points (13 in the second half).  

The Islanders go on the road this week for their first conference game against rival Liberty on Tuesday, and clash  with out of conference  state-ranked Marysville-Pilchuck on  Friday.  

Welcome to another season of exciting Islander basketball!  After a season where the team battled through injuries and adversity to claim a third place Kingco finish and a berth in the district tournament, the boys in maroon and white are back at it again with a more seasoned squad of competitors who will vie for the Kingco title and a berth to the state tournament once again.  Along the way, the Islanders will focus on competing with each other in practice and improving each day.  Our emphasis this season will be to live the Islander Way, focusing on our core values as a program and letting the results take care of themselves. 

Departed from 2018 are captains Griffin Emanuels and Ethan Eason along with fellow grads Giovanni Cervantes-Rocha and Reid Martinez.  This group will be missed for their leadership and commitment to the program, but they have set the stage for the 2019 season, which returns 8 lettermen from last season.  The team is led by captains William Lee (senior) and Teague Conder (senior). William returns for his third letter, while Teague is back for his second.  Both players finished last season in the starting backcourt, which provides a steadying force this season.  These two veterans are surrounded by a vast group of hungry competitors, both veterans and newcomers, who are anxious to make their mark on the Varsity floor. 

In the front court, the Islanders will boast a deep group of hard-working forwards who will need to anchor the team on the offensive and defensive ends.  Rainer McDonald, returning for his third letter, brings experience to the group.  David Pickles, a sophomore returning starter, will work alongside juniors Nate and Luke Wenzel, who got some experience last season.  Forward James Kirkmire, a senior up from the JV, rounds out the group. 

On the perimeter, the Islanders will feature a group of four juniors in returning lettermen Joe Gormley, Adam Parker and Lukas Varney, in addition to transfer student Nigel Seda.  All four athletes bring great defensive qualities to the team with their length and athleticism.  On the offensive side, they each bring a unique skill set that will prove important for the squad. 

In addition to the experience provided by Lee and Conder, the Islander backcourt features two young newcomers who will begin the season swinging between Varsity and JV, in sophomore Tyler Butson and freshman Chris Clark.  Both guards help to push our veterans in practice and are quickly gaining the trust of teammates and coaches. 

The strength of this Islander team lies in its experienced backcourt and the talented young players who have the opportunity to emerge as the season unfolds.   The coaching staff expects to see growth and maturity throughout the season.  Offensively, the ball will pop around the floor and the defense will be more aggressive due to the length, depth and overall athleticism of the team.  With a tough early season non-league schedule and a challenging holiday trip to Palm Springs, the squad will be tested early, preparing themselves for the stretch run.  By season’s end, this Islander squad will be poised for an opportunity to win the Kingco banner and move on to the districts and state. 

If Varsity at 8 pm, then  JV at 5 pm; and if Varsity at 7:15 pm, then JV at 5:40 pm.  

Congratulations to the 2017-18 Islanders and Seniors Griffin Emanuels (Co-Captain), Ethan Eason (Co-Captain), Giovanni Rocha and Reid Martinez.  The team battled all season and finished in third place in KingCo with a record of 8 wins, 6 losses, and played a challenging non-conference and playoff schedule to finish the year with an overall record of 12 wins and 12 losses.  

Congratulations to the following Islanders for KingCo honors: 

Senior, Griffin Emanuels, 1st Team 2A/3A All KingCo and named Defensive MVP for KingCo 2A/3A for the second consecutive year;
Senior, Giovanni Cervantes-Rocha, and Junior William Lee, both named 2A/3A KingCo Honorable Mention.
 

The Freshman (3:45 pm) and JV team  (5 pm) also face Juanita on Tues at HOME.  On Wed., both travel to Curtis High School for out an out of conference match up.  On Thurs, the Freshman squad hosts Interlake at the PEAK (3:45 pm).  On Friday, JV Boys and Girls host Interlake for Quad Games beginning at 3:45 pm at MIHS.  JV Boys tip at 5 pm and Varsity Boys at 8 pm.  

Come out this Friday Night as we celebrate Mercer Island Basketball's 1999 State Championship -- a 60-44 win over ODea at the Kingdome!  Go Islanders!

LITTLE DRIBBLERS -- Registration Still Open

The Little Dribblers program has a rich 50-year history of connecting generations of passionate Islander hoopsters. Open to players of any ability, the program is run by MIHS Head Coach Gavin Cree and his high school players. Get your boys on the court each Saturday as they are coached and mentored by the MIHS high school players. All proceeds go to benefit MIHS boys’ basketball. All 5th - 8th grade select players are automatically registered.

 Dates: December 1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd; January 12th at Mercer Island High School

January 26th and February 2nd at Islander Middle School

Fee: $85

 Schedule:

2nd, 3rd and 4th graders 9:00 am - 10:00 am

5th and 6th graders 10:00 am - 11:00 am

7th, 8th and 9th graders 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

To register:  https://mibasketball.sportngin.com/register/form/373716814
 

Thanks to  the generous contributions of our MI basketball community, including your membership with the MI basketball booster club, scholarships are available for the upcoming Boys Basketball Select Season.  Stay tuned for tryout dates in the Fall. 

Our scholarship application form is below.  If you are interested, please download the form and send to mibbbcscholarship@gmail.com

Go Islanders!