Mount Si shows off depth in lopsided 4A KingCo boys basketball triumph over Woodinville
WOODINVILLE, Wash. - The top-ranked Class 4A boys basketball team in the state learned yet again about its identity.
With two starters sitting out the final four minutes of the first half together, the Mount Si Wildcats learned they had enough depth to compete in dire situations.
Latt Ford, an athletic 6-foot-6 sophomore wing, tallied 19 points and grabbed six rebounds to pace the Wildcats as they overcame a challenging second quarter to score a runaway 68-40 victory over Woodinville in a 4A KingCo contest Friday night on the Falcons’ home floor.
"I was proud of our guys who came off the bench and kept the lead," said Mount Si coach Jason Griffith, whose team stayed unbeaten against state competition. "We’re a little deeper this year. The guys came in and stepped up and kept the lead."
Blake Forrest, a 5-foot-11 senior point guard, knocked down nine of his 17 points in the decisive third quarter as Mount Si (8-2 overall, 6-0 Crest Division) pulled away with a 23-11 advantage. That pushed the Wildcats’ scant 26-18 lead to blowout size quickly.
Trevor Hennig, a 6-foot-4 senior guard headed to Weber State, scored just three points in the first half after sitting out the final 5:49 of the first half with two fouls. Forrest joined him on the bench at the 4:19 mark and they sat out the remainder of the first half together. Hennig, who came in averaging 22.4 points, put up 14 points, scoring 11 in the second half including six in the third.
The Wildcats forced turnovers and got out in transition to turn the tide in the third period.
Jamo Atwood, a 6-foot-5 senior forward, kept Woodinville (8-5, 6-1 Crown Division) in the game with 15 points, nine in the second half.
Here are three takeaways from the Mount Si-Woodinville game:
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BLAKE FORREST ELEVATES GAME AFTER HALFTIME
Forrest might not be the biggest guy on the floor, but his impact was huge Friday.
The Wildcats’ point guard scored nine points in the third in a variety of ways. He scored in transition, on cuts to the basket, on a 3-pointer and on drives. His explosiveness and quickness were on full display and any opponent will have their hands full guarding him.
“Coach (Mike) Kelly (of Woodinville) said before the game, ‘I look forward to when he graduates,’” Griffith said. “He’s not the only coach who feels that way. He’s a four-year starter for us, he’s an (NCAA) Division I talent. There’s not a point guard in the state I would take over him.”
Forrest finished with 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and added seven rebounds and five assists.
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JACK TAYLOR IS MOUNT SI'S GLUE GUY
When both Hennig and Forrest were sent to the bench with two fouls midway through the second half, Jack Taylor started doing the little things for Mount Si.
Taylor, a 5.3-points per game scorer, had four of his five steals in the first half with three coming in the second quarter. He had all five of his points in the first half.
“That’s Jack, he’s got that senior confidence,” Griffith said of the second team all-4A KingCo wide receiver in football. “That’s a two-sport athlete that knows his role. He also got us some buckets. That’s what he brings every night. He learned a lot in California (at the Desert Holiday Classic in Palm Springs in late December) in terms of defending 6-3 really good athletes.”
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LATT FORD STAR OF THE FUTURE
If there’s a more athletic sophomore big man in the state of Washington than Latt Ford, Griffith wants to see him.
Ford had several high-flying baskets down the lane ending in finger-roll layins above the rim and he made a pair of 3-pointers. He drew fouls, going to the line much of the night, but made just 3 of 7 from the stripe or his big night would’ve been bigger.
Ford looks to be the next in line for an NCAA Division I scholarship behind Mount Si graduates Jabe Mullins, Miles Heide and Hennig.
“He’s super versatile,” Griffth said. “People don’t realize how skilled he is from a pass, rebound, scoring perspective. He works hard on his perimeter shot and that’s something he’s getting confidence with. He’s arguably the best athlete in the state, regardless of class [in school].
“People forget he’s 16 years old and he’s going to make young mistakes. He’s the type of kid who wants to get in the film room and wants to learn from it. He’s got a super high ceiling.”
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