Lindbergh High School’s boys basketball team opened up its district tournament with a different face leading the way and another absent from the scene. Volunteer assistant coach Robert Graham manned the ship for the Eagles as head coach Abraham Garcia was away from the team via personal reasons for the Eagles’ District 2 tournament opening game.
Lindbergh was able to hold off Chief Sealth on Feb. 10 in the fourth quarter as the Eagles survived and advanced with a 64-61 win over the Seahawks.
“We had to dig in, get stops and secure the ball. It all came down to who wanted it more,” Graham said.
It was a little different having another voice lead the huddle and call timeouts, especially because Garcia is such a vocal coach, but Graham got the win.
“For me coaching, I wasn’t trying to step on Abe’s shoes or anything like that. It is different, so I had to get these kids ready in a different way. But still try to compete, like when Abe is here,” Graham said.
Lindbergh has struggled down the final stretch of the regular season as well. The Eagles lost six out of their last seven games dating back to Jan. 16, so just seeing a win was big for morale in the locker room.
Volunteer assistant coach Robert Graham led the Lindbergh Eagles for the absent Abraham Garcia. Ben Ray / The Reporter
“Winning is contagious. Losing can absolutely be contagious too. So now it is just figuring out how to win and stacking those wins. I do believe winning is contagious and if you start stacking another one comes, another one comes and another one comes,” Graham said. “Yes the game was tighter than we wanted it to be. The ‘W’ is what we wanted.”
Despite their record, Chief Sealth competed for all 32 minutes, pushing Lindbergh to the brink. Senior James Huff IV talked postgame that the Eagles overlooked Chief Sealth and that is a trend that cannot continue.
“We kind of thought we had it in the bag already. I think we kind of gave up and started having too much fun. Against teams like that, we can’t build their confidence and let them think they can hang with us,” Huff said.
Huff finished with a game high of 21 points for Lindbergh, and it was 21 points spread out evenly throughout the four quarters as his best quarter was seven points in the final quarter.
Lindbergh was on top 55-43 with 5:32 remaining in the game following a Huff free throw. Over the next 3:24, Chief Sealth went on a 13-1 run and cut that Lindbergh lead to just one point 56-55 with 2:08 remaining.
Trinidad Valentino English gives a smile after stepping out of bounds. Ben Ray / The Reporter
But Lindbergh showed some resolve and resilience, especially from the free throw line. In the fourth quarter, Lindbergh shot 8 for 12 from the charity stripe. A lay-in from Christian Surrano and a dunk from Huff sealed the win for Lindbergh as they were able to fight off a Seahawk side that came to play.
“We did hit some big free throws at the end, even though we didn’t want to be in that position to have to make those. That is just staying focused and part of the mental prep,” Graham said.
It was clear from the start that Chief Sealth was going to not go down easy. At the end of the first quarter, the Eagles were up 15-13 and the Seahawks just kept fighting back. Trinidad Valentino English had four points off the bench that really provided a spark for Lindbergh. Valentino English finished the night with just eight points, but he provided juice off the bench as he continues to find his role on this Eagle team.
“Last year he was that spark. I think he was a lot more comfortable because of the guys he was around. He’s started a few games, and came off the bench and he’s still trying to find his flow. But he knows we have all the confidence in the world in him,” Graham said. “Trin is ready, he is always going to be ready.”
Early on it was clear that Graham was looking for that right combination as Sir Davison, Henry Talmadge and Valentino English were rotating in and out of the ballgame frequently.
Lindbergh headed to the locker room leading 30-27 as Chief Sealth continued to pester their way back into the game. Chief Sealth’s Koby Ioane had seven points in the second, leading all scorers in the second quarter.
In the second and fourth quarters, Lindbergh junior Solomon Sanders tallied four points en route to a 12 point performance. He had a single made basket in the first and third. Sanders fills a role the Eagles are desperate for, someone who can work off Huff and still navigate the paint. Huff has seen his growth from day one as an Eagle.
Tyler Hicks hold the finish on a 3 point shot against Chief Sealth. Ben Ray / The Reporter
“I remember him when he never even played basketball. His growth is kind of crazy. I haven’t seen someone grow like him, genuinely. He’s become a player I have never seen before,” Huff said.
Lindbergh has now advanced to the second round of the district tournament where they take on Renton on Feb. 12 at Renton. It is a return to normalcy for Lindbergh as Garcia returns to take the reins, but it’s the tallest task Lindbergh has faced all season. A rivalry game, with a trip to the district title on the line.
“It’s confidence and a sense of urgency. I think we have to go into the game knowing we have the ability to beat them,” Huff said. “If we go in there hungry and know we can hang with them and beat them, we’ll be one step closer to a district championship.”
