4A Boys Notebook | Latest in Nwaelele line helps Inglemoor secure trophy

TACOMA — Inglemoor coach Greg Lowell can remember when Andy Nwaelele was only 3 feet tall, wearing enormous glasses and Vikings black and gold.

"I wasn't sure Andy would be a basketball player or not," Lowell said.

But for the Nwaeleles, producing Inglemoor basketball players has been the family business. Andy is a sophomore point guard for a team that will take home a trophy today. Three of his brothers played for the Vikings. Andy has rarely missed an Inglemoor game in the past decade.

"I don't remember all of them, but I've been watching them pretty much my whole life," Nwaelele said.

His oldest brother, Danny, was probably the best of them, a first-team All-KingCo selection in 2002 who went on to star at Air Force. Ken was the captain for the 2004 team and played at Bellevue Community College. Ike became the first in the family to make state, coming to Tacoma in 2005 and 2006 before succeeding Danny at Air Force.

"In our family, it was hard not to be a basketball player," Andy Nwaelele said.

This year, Nwaelele became the starting point guard, allowing Benji Bryant — the KingCo co-MVP — to move to shooting guard. Lowell said Nwaelele fit in well because he made it clear to teammates right away he was there to pass and defend, not score.

"It's a big responsibility for a sophomore to do that, and he's done a great job this year," Bryant said.

Modeled after Brockman

Lake Stevens senior post Sean Stickney has averaged more than 23 points and 12 rebounds in three tireless state games.

The physical, 6-4 forward said he models his game after another well-known banger from the WesCo North Division — University of Washington forward Jon Brockman.

"I watched him growing up when he was at Snohomish," said Stickney, who has picked up a number of cuts and bruises this week in classic Brockman style.

Said Lake Stevens coach Mark Hein of Stickney: "He's such a competitor. He might the most competitive kid I've ever coached."

Notes

• After Gonzaga Prep senior forward Travis Long muscled his way through a Curtis defender — which resulted in an offensive foul on the Bullpup — the Curtis student section heckled the Washington State football recruit with a chant of "Stick to football!"

• A fun moment came during a timeout in the fourth quarter of the Lake Stevens-Eisenhower consolation game. Vikings band members sang loudly to "Hey Baby" by their Cadets counterparts.

• With a win over Curtis, Gonzaga Prep clinched its first state trophy since 1991.

• Eisenhower has led each of its three games in the final 10 seconds, but lost two.

Freelancer Joshua Mayers

contributed to this report.