In the last three, weeks the Prep boys basketball team made a resounding statement to the entire state of Washington: They are back and they are for real. The Panthers have proven that they can beat anybody in the state, quite literally. The incredible month started for the team started on November 30th with a big Metro League game against Lakeside. Many considered Lakeside to be the favorite in the game because of their star power and home court advantage. Both of these things proved to be insignificant. D.J Fenner ’13 outshined Lakeside’s top players and Prep’s well-travelling crowd, the team’s “sixth man”, turned the matchup into a home game with their spirit and volume. Although the Lion’s kept the game interesting and even tied the game briefly in the fourth quarter, Fenner iced the game with a pull up jumper in the final minute to propel the Panthers to a 58-56 win. This game was huge to start giving the team the confidence and chemistry necessary to produce the results that they did in their next couple of games. Next up for the Panthers, after a relatively smooth victory over Cleveland, was Bellarmine Prep, ranked third in the 4A classification at the time. Bellarmine and Gonzaga-bound center Lucas Meikle challenged the toughness and Prep’s lack of height but once again, the squad proved that their toughness and consistency was enough to overcome. The Panthers were led by Fenner with 34 points but played sound team basketball to produce the win. Senior leader Angelo Marchesini ’13 also chipped in 9 points in the game. Coming out on top against a high-profile opponent like Bellarmine surely caught some eyes, but the Panthers were not nearly done with their incredible month.
In Prep’s next matchup, they faced a strong Metro League opponent in Eastside Catholic. The game was a defensive basketball game, played aggressively with a very competitive atmosphere. The first half ended in an oddly low scoring affair, with Eastside leading just 16-14. Prep came out fast in the second half, however, and Fenner was unconscious. After his subpar first half he took over the game and scored a career high 39 points on 13-25 shooting from the field. Fenner’s lights-out performance in the third and fourth quarters led Prep to a 49-44 victory. It was an impressive one due to the adversity they faced on the offensive end to open the game.
The victory over Eastside Catholic brought the Panthers to an impressive 5-0, with multiple wins over teams ranked in the top ten in the state. The Panther’s then faced a daunting task, attempting to take down Rainier Beach, ranked the number one team in the 3A classification of state and the fifth ranked team nationally by some websites. “Beach Night” at the McHugh Gymnasium drew a huge crowd that gave Prep the home court advantage it needed. The moment the Panthers took the court, it was clear that they were not intimidated and were not playing to keep it close against such an elite team; they were playing for the win. This intensity was shown by senior Jack Roger ’13 and his intensity, going for every loose ball and hustle down the floor. For the first half, Rainier Beach kept a steady six or eight point lead for the most part and at halftime, Prep remained within striking distance. After the intermission, things quickly began looking bad for the Panthers as the Vikings stretched their lead to thirteen at one point and after the third quarter led by eleven. That was when the Panthers exploded. They knew they couldn’t simply lie down and accept defeat. In an incredible sequence, Prep took all of the momentum away from the Vikings and starting swiftly cutting down the deficit. Every time Fenner would pull up and launch a shot, it would fall (he hit four three pointers in the fourth quarter alone). Every time it seemed like Rainier Beach had an open lane to the basket, Fenner, Laurence Hicks ’14 or another Prep defender would make a play to force a turnover. With around a minute left in the contest, Prep finally took the lead on a Fenner fall away three. Rainier Beach responded with a layup of their own to tie but Hicks took things into his own hands and re-took the lead for the Panthers with a soft runner in the lane. Rainier Beach drew a foul and a Viking stepped up to the line to shoot two free throws. With the entire student section (and some of the parent section) rocking to a boisterous chant and bang of feet against bleacher, the first free throw was missed. After the second was missed, Prep inbounded the ball to Hicks and with ice in his veins; he hit the first free throw. Hicks then intentionally missed the second with four seconds left and Rainier Beach missed a half court shot. The gym erupted and the students rushed the court, as expected after defeating such a highly touted opponent. Fenner scored 16 of his 28 points in the final period and Hicks, the other catalyst of the game scored 11 of his 16 in the 59-57 win.
Over the last month, Prep has answered all questions about their capabilities. Although Fenner deserves much praise for his offensive production, this team’s strength truly lies in their chemistry and defense. Everyone on this squad knows their role and they operate together in a way that allows great ball movement. The team is smart, usually limiting turnovers and works extremely well together. Every game is truly a team effort, even if the scoring is not spread out. Prep’s defense has been impeccable as well. They forced 17 turnovers against Bellarmine Prep and limited Beach to 57 points when the Vikings had scored 110 in a game just a week earlier. If the Panthers keep up their stellar and intelligent play, there is nothing holding them back from returning to the impressive places where they were last season.