High School Sports

SAMMAMISH — There was a time not so long ago when Lucas Shannon's coaches almost forbid him from shooting.

Once known as a defensive stopper only, Shannon has ratcheted up his offensive game.

The 6-foot-7 senior had a career-high 27 points, including six in overtime, and added 13 rebounds as third-ranked Skyline beat Bothell 65-61 Friday night in a KingCo 4A boys basketball game at Skyline High School.

"It's been a long journey here from sixth or seventh grade, when I wasn't supposed to shoot the ball much," said Shannon, who will play at Saint Martin's next year.

"It used to be just 'Get the board, and don't dribble, don't shoot.' I've always been the defensive stopper, and been really intense on defense. I've tried to carry that intensity over to the offensive end. On offense, I used to be hesitant."

Shannon also played the hero late in the game, sinking a pair of free throws with 10.1 seconds left in regulation to force the extra period on Senior Night. He drew the foul by driving aggressively to the basket.

Bothell's Zach LaVine, one of the top junior recruits in the state, misfired at the buzzer on a three-point attempt that would have won it in regulation.

"I don't think there's a weak team in our conference," Shannon said. "We're in a tough game every week. We're not a team that blows people out and beats them by 30. We understand how to stay the course, and not get up and down."

The Crest Division champion Spartans (18-3, 13-1) posted the best regular-season record in school history.

The wild victory was Skyline's 13th in a row. The Spartans won despite blowing a 12-point, second-half lead and playing without point guard Will Parker in the fourth quarter because of foul trouble.

"We had a lot of emotion because it was Senior Night," Shannon said. "Then, our point guard, Will Parker, gets in foul trouble. It was a tough situation to put our young guards in without Will.

"When he came back in with about two minutes, 30 seconds left, it kind of brought a calm back with our team," Shannon said. "That really helped."

LaVine led the Cougars (12-7, 8-6) with 25 points. The talented 6-foot-3 junior scored 18 points over the final 6:24 of regulation and four minutes of overtime, including 10 in the final 6:24 of regulation.

The Cougars went on a 20-4 flurry with Parker sitting, using fullcourt pressure to turn a 47-35 fourth-quarter hole into a 53-51 lead. LaVine scored on a breakaway layin after a steal, was fouled and completed the three-point play for the two-point lead with 1:35 to go in regulation.

The game — and LaVine — drew the presence of University of Washington coach Lorenzo Romar.

"There should be 30 college coaches here," said Skyline coach J.Jay Davis. "I don't care what their schedule is. That kid is special.

"(Bothell's Perrion) Callandret is D-I too. That's a very difficult backcourt to match up against, especially with them being 6-3 and 6-2 and us being diminutive."

Skyline played without starter Bryan Cikatz (10 ppg), who bruised his hip against Eastlake in the team's previous game.

Freshman Matisse Thybulle came into the game in overtime and immediately made an impact, drilling an 18-footer from the left corner for a 55-53 Skyline lead just 14 seconds into the extra session.

Parker, one of six seniors honored before their final home game, tallied 14 points. Callendret scored 12 for Bothell.