Skyline soars past North Creek Jaguars in first round of playoffs
The Skyline Spartans claimed victory against the North Creek Jaguars, 70-50, Saturday, Feb. 11.
A tip to Ryan Shields gave the Spartans the opportunity to sink the game’s first 3-pointer for an early edge. Carter Cohen provided a lay-up to keep the Jaguars on pace. As Shields consistently got the ball downcourt, he continued to rack up points, providing a slight lead for the Spartans to end the quarter 22-15.
Unlike the first quarter, a sluggish second quarter was riddled with fouls and free throws for both teams. Dylan Reilly sunk a pair of free throws for the Spartans while the Jaguars failed to capitalize on Skyline’s errors. Romen Jackson picked up some slack for the Jaguars when he nailed a decisive 3-point shot. Never easing up, the ball was promptly recovered by the Spartans for a quick long pass downcourt, setting up Nyale Robinson for a dramatic, crowd-pleasing reverse layup. Jackson, despite a valiant effort, could not sink another 3-pointer to narrow the gap, allowing the Spartans a comfortable 31-21 lead to bring the first half to an end.
Shields and Cohen continued aggressive play toward the net, adding several points for their respective teams throughout the third quarter. With a burst of adrenaline, Shields pulled down a rebound, prompting a full-court dash for an expertly executed assist to Caden Culver for an impressive, energetic addition for the Spartans. While both teams played well in the third quarter, the Jaguars just could not keep pace and found the gap widening, finishing the quarter 46-31.
The Spartans started the last quarter with a bang by executing consecutive 2- and 3-point shots and managed to rally both teams for the fight. The Jaguars did their best to chase down the Spartans, utilizing strong offense and team collaboration in several sleight-of-hand plays.
Both teams seemed to get better as the clock ticked down. The Spartans had their best quarter with a 24-point gain while the Jaguars performed well with a 19-point gain. Kyler Przybylski proved invaluable for the Spartans, with several rebounds and assists to end the game with a decisive victory for his team, 70-50.
Late in the third quarter, Skyline’s Dylan Reilly sustained a game-stopping injury when he received a hard hit to his back and head mid-play, delaying the game for 20 minutes. He was assisted off the court and both teams took a brief recess before resuming play.
The #3 seed, the Skyline Spartans, faced-off against the #7 seed, the Issaquah Eagles, in game five of the district playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. at Skyline High School, losing 55-54. The Eagles will go on to play Feb. 17 at Everett Community College at 8:30 p.m. for the district title and a slot in the state tournament.
