Federal Way HS Boys Basketball: Eagles In The News: FW Sweeps Arizona Basketball Challenge
Wednesday, December 31FW Sweeps Arizona Basketball Challenge
No. 1 Washington team too much for Estrella Foothills
Corey Hawkins was spectacular. But the top-ranked team from Washington, Federal Way, was too powerful.
Federal Way ran a fast-break drill to perfection in an 84-50 rout of Class 3A power Goodyear Estrella Foothills on Tuesday night in the Arizona Basketball Challenge at Mesa Mountain View High.
Hawkins, a 6-foot-3 junior guard who had 43 points Monday against Mesa Red Mountain, finished with 21 points and three steals. Hawkins held his own. The rest of the team (10-2) appeared tentative and forced shots and passes that ended up quickly at the other end for fast-break points.
Federal Way (6-1), which lost in the Class 4A Washington championship last season, played one fewer game than the rest of the 15 teams in the ABC, because Washington high school rules prohibit more than three out-of-state games.
Federal Way looked fresh, sharp and like the best team in the field.
Even Estrella Foothills coach Ty Amundsen said he thought top-ranked (5A-I) Gilbert Highland, which played host Mountain View in Tuesday's late game, should have been matched up against Federal Way, which has size, athleticism and speed.
The speed was provided by point guard Michael Hale III, who had 30 points, hitting 12 of 19 shots, including 4 of 7 from behind the 3-point arc.
Size and strength were provided by 6-7 Cole Dickerson, a highly recruited junior who had 18 points and two blocks. On one of his blocks, he took the ball and heaved it downcourt for an easy basket.
"For us to compete against teams like that, we've got to play an A game, and I thought we played an F game," Amundsen said. "I thought it was just horrible all the way across the board."