Cruiser boys basketball starts season off strong

The Eatonville Cruiser boys basketball team opened up the 2021-22 season with a bang by going 2-0 in the opening week.

With no restrictions on fan attendance, the Cruisers took to the road for their first game against the Cascade Christian Cougars and had a large crowd from Eatonville show up to cheer them on and the Cruisers didn't disappoint, giving that crowd a 73-71 overtime win.

Eatonville led by 14 points at halftime, but the Cougars slowly chipped away at that lead in the second half, closing it to nine points as the third quarter came to a close.

In the final quarter, the Cougars again chipped away at the Cruiser lead, and with 3.9 seconds left and trailing by two, Cascade Christian’s Bo Jahno went to the free-throw line to shoot two. After missing both free throws, the Cruisers were unable to secure the rebound, and Jacob Jahno grabbed the ball and put it in the basket as time expired to send the game into overtime, tied at 66.

In overtime, Eatonville's Jake Wood took over and score five of Eatonville's seven points and pulled down four of his game-high 14 rebounds.

With 8 seconds left in overtime, Cascade Christian had a chance to tie or take the lead, but both of their shot attempts were off the mark, and the Cruisers picked up the win, 73-71.

Shay Brannon led the Cruisers with a double-double, scoring a career-high 30 points, including five 3-pointers, and pulling down 10 rebounds. Wood also recorded a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Reilly McIlraith chipped in 13 points for the Cruisers.

The Cruisers followed that victory up with another road win, this time against the La Center Wildcats, 74-66.

Eatonville led by as many as 12 points in the first half behind Woods’s eight points, but the Wildcats trimmed that lead down to seven at the half, as the Cruisers led 33-26.

In the second half, the Wildcats cut the Cruiser lead down to as little as three points, but Eatonville held on to take the 74-66 victory to improve their record to 2-0.

Four Cruiser players scored in double digits on the night. Wood, Brannon and Jakob Lucht each scored 15 points, and McIlraith finished the night with 10.

Wood finished with nine rebounds, one shy of recording his second double-double in as many games.