Leading 25-11 at halftime, the Lynnwood boys basketball team looked like it was going to win Monday night’s game against Meadowdale with ease. But the Royals needed every second of the final two periods to fend off a furious comeback attempt from the Mavericks, before taking home a 51-49 victory.

These two teams met less than two weeks ago, on Jan. 27, when Meadowdale went to Lynnwood High School and left with a 55-46 win. Monday night’s re-match served as an opening-round play-in game of the District 1 3A boys basketball district tournament. The winner moves on in the tournament and plays Tuesday night, while the season ends for the loser.

After struggling to generate any offense in the first half, the Mavs outscored the Royals 18-10 in the third quarter, to trim the lead to just six points, 35-29. They then scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 35 with 6:43 to play.

The Royals would score, and the Mavs would answer, until 1:45 to play, with the game tied at 45.

Lynnwood got one back on a free throw to make it 46-45 with just over a minute to play, and two more with 23 seconds left to take a three-point lead.

After a timeout, Meadowdale’s Aiden Bloomquist scored quickly to cut the lead to one with 12.8 seconds to go.

The Royals inbounded the ball and senior guard Tommy McMahon drove to the hoop to score while being fouled. This gave Lynnwood a 50-47 lead with 6.4 seconds. However, McMahon was called for an ill-advised technical foul for taunting after scoring the basket, which meant after his free-throw attempt Meadowdale got two foul shots and the ball back at half court.

McMahon sank his free throw, recording Lynnwood’s final point of the game, and making the score 51-47.

Aiden Bloomquist then stepped to the line for the Mavs and knocked down both shots to trim the Royals’ lead to two, 51-49.

On the ensuing inbounds play from half-court, Meadowdale threw the ball out of bounds.

The situation seemingly left Meadowdale with needing to foul right away after Lynnwood inbounded the ball, but the Mavs forced what looked like a gift turnover as the ball found its way into the hands of sophomore guard Jaymon Wright in the key. Instead of turning around and attempting a short, game-tying shot, he looked to pass it to a teammate, only to have it intercepted by a Royal, ending the game.

Lynnwood’s Keegan Williams led all players with 25 points and also had nine rebounds.

Bloomquist had 16 points and six rebounds to lead the Mavericks.

Meadowdale falls to 3-14 overall, and this loss ends the Mavericks’ 2021-2022 season.

The victory was Lynnwood’s first of the season, adn the Royals’ overall record is now 1-15. They will advance in the bracket and play Tuesday night at Cascade High School against the home Bruins. Cascade beat Lynnwood Jan. 7 by a score of 75-70. Tuesday’s game begins at 7:15 p.m.

Prep Boys Basketball: Lynnwood @ Meadowdale, February 7, 2022

Lynnwood                           11   14   10   16   — 51

Meadowdale                     05   06   18   20   — 49

Lynnwood individual scoring: Keegan Williams 25, Tommy McMahon 8, Jordan Whittle 6, Jacob Moriones 4, Jace Hampson 3, Yafett Sebhatu 3, Bayley Evans 2, Ethan Pook 0, Noor Ahmadzai 0

Meadowdale individual scoring: Aiden Bloomquist 16, Jeremy Kim 9, Henock Tsegay 8, Jaymon Wright 6, Evik Amy 5, Naod Alemu 3, Eben Sarka 2

Records:

Lynnwood 0-13 in league, 1-15 overall. Next game versus Cascade, Tuesday, Feb. 8; 7:15 p.m. at Cascade High School

Meadowdale 3-10 in league, 3-14 overall. Their season is finished

— Story and photos by Scott Williams