There’s little doubt Lindbergh senior Jimmy Keum knows how to step up when it counts. Keum led the Eagles to fifth place at the 2A state basketball tournament and the team’s first ever state tournament win.

Keum scored 33 points in Lindbergh’s (16-14) early win against Clover Park. He scored a combined 21 points in the Eagles final two state games as teams started to adjust their defenses around him.

“They were really double and triple teaming him,” said Lindbergh coach Robert Graham. “Clover Park decided to play him heads up, and you just can’t do that. He’s too good.”

Playoff heroics are nothing new to Keum, who scored 49 points in a double-overtime playoff loss against Port Angeles last season.

Keum averaged 19.3 points per game this season, second best in the Seamount. This despite most teams orienting their defense around him. While that strategy was frustrating at times this season, Graham said Keum won’t have as much of a problem with that at the next level.

“When he gets to the next level teams aren’t going to be able to do that because of everybody else on the floor,” he said. “I think he’s going to be very effective at the next level.”

Graham said Keum has interest from Seattle University and Western Washington University.

After the opening win against Clover Park March 1, Lindbergh came up just short against White River March 2. The Hornets edged the Eagles 43-40 in overtime, the second time this postseason White River has beaten Lindbergh by three points or less.

Graham said the loss seemed to wear the team out.

“Fatigue set in after losing that heartbreaker Friday,” he said. “They wanted that one really bad.”

The Eagles took on Kingston March 3 in the third place/fifth place game. Lindbergh led by one point at the half, but a 17-8 Kingston run in the third put the game away. Austin Franklin led Lindbergh with 12 points in the game.

Lindbergh’s road to fifth was certainly not easy. Kingston earned third place with the win. White River finished second. Clover Park took fourth. The Eagles edged 18-4 Squalicum 67-64 in double overtime in the regional round of state.

Graham lauded his assistant coaches for their work this season.

“Overall it was a great experience for the team, administration, cheerleaders, student body, everyone involved,” Graham said. “For not being there in a long time coming out of there with fifth was a great accomplishment.”

The Lindbergh boys had only been to state once before, in 1991 when they lost to Cheney 61-43 and West Valley 80-45.

Keum was named to the 2A all-tournament first team.