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While many have been feasting on Christmas ham and figgy pudding this week, the Meadowdale Mavericks celebrated something a bit more substantial Saturday: a decisive victory on the Stable basketball court. The Mavs made quick work of the visiting Blaine Borderites 64-37 in a non-league game at Meadowdale High School.
The Mavericks were hot from the start Saturday, making their first four shots of the game — three from beyond the 3-point arc — to jump out to an early 11-2 lead. Two of those three 3-pointers were scored by senior Noah Million, who finished with seven long-range bombs in the game.
“They were all falling today,” Million said of his 3-point shooting. “My team has a big part in that, setting me up, giving me good looks.”.
Million led the Mavs in scoring with 23 points. Hasaan Motley contributed 10 points in the Meadowdale victory.
After the big start, the Mavericks’ lead was never challenged by Blaine. Meadowdale led 30-15 at halftime and was up by as many as 29 points in the second half. But Million insisted his team’s intensity never wavered despite the big advantage.
“As the game goes on, we just try to stay level-headed, just try to play until the final buzzer,” Million said. “Don’t let up, even if we’re up — no matter if we’re down 20, up 20.”
While good shooting helped build the early lead, it was the Mavericks’ effort on the boards — especially on the offensive end of the court — that kept the Borderites at bay Saturday.
“We had 29 offensive rebounds, which is remarkable.” Mavs’ coach Roger O’Neill said after the game. “I think that’s probably about how many we had all year combined.”
O’Neill said that much of the team’s work at their latest practices has been on rebounding. “That was really a point of emphasis the last couple of days and a point of emphasis all summer and fall,” he said.
“We kind of got away from that the last couple of games, and Terrace and Everett exposed us on those things,” O’Neill said. “So really we talked a lot about crashing the glass and boxing out on the other end. So it was nice to see the guys go do that.”
The Mavericks outrebounded Blaine 51-28 Saturday.
Since his team enjoyed a big lead throughout much of the game, O’Neill was also pleased that he was able to give significant playing time to some of the lesser-used players on the roster.
“What I loved to see tonight was the ability to get guys in that we trust but sometimes don’t get as minutes in close games,” O’Neill said. “And this was the opportunity where they could go show us — and I thought tonight, when I subbed, there was no dropoff at all in our energy or our production. So I’m really proud of everyone, one through 11, tonight on how hard they played.”
All 11 Mavericks on the roster played — and scored — in the victory over the Borderites.
Blaine (1-3 in the 1A/2A/3A Northwest conference, 3-5 overall) was led in scoring by the 12 points of Landon Melton.
With Saturday’s win, Meadowdale (2-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 8-1 overall) is off to their best start since their state-tournament qualifying teams of 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 that both finished with 22-7 records and trophies won at state (sixth place in 2009 and fifth place in 2010). Million hopes this year’s Mavs’ team can also be a state tournament qualifier.
“The goal is the state tournament, for sure,” Million said. “That’s where we want to be at the end of the season.”
O’Neill also has postseason state tourney dreams for this Mavericks’ team, but he’s also making an effort to stay in the moment with his squad.
“It’s a fun group; we’ve been having a blast coaching them,” O’Neill said. “Obviously, off to an 8-1 start is nice, is fun, but we have high hopes. And there’s big tests coming up for us in league play and hopefully beyond. So we’ve just got to keep getting better and working hard.”
Prep Boys Basketball: Blaine at Meadowdale, Dec. 27
Blaine 9 6 11 11 – 37
Meadowdale 22 8 22 12 – 64
Meadowdale individual scoring: Noah Million 23, Hasaan Motley 10, Khalil Botley 9, Jackson Greene 5, Orion Ezeonwuka 4, Parker Elliott 4, Nolan Lee 2, Marley Miller 2, Richard Jones Jr. 2, Benjamin Webster 2, Richard Jones Jr. 1
Blaine individual scoring: Landon Melton 12, Angus Dickson 8, Dawson Dohner 5, Christopher Dickson 4, Kai Kerwin 2, Holden Briner 2, Isaac Bouma 2, Connor Brown 2, Hunter Candanoza
Records: Meadowdale 2-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference, 8-1 overall; Blaine 1-3 in 1A/2A/3A Northwest Conference, 3-5 overall
Meadowdale next game: versus Archbishop Murphy; Friday, Jan. 2; 8 p.m. at Archbishop Murphy High School
Blaine next game: versus Squalicum; Friday, Jan. 2; 7:15 p.m. at Squalicum High School
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