If the Mount Tahoma Thunderbirds represented the biggest test for the No. 1-ranked Mountlake Terrace Hawks during this late stretch of the 2023-2024 regular season, it is safe to say the Hawks passed it with flying colors.

A Mountlake Terrace report card would have undoubtedly showed A-plus in the categories of speed, muscle and defense as the Hawks schooled the visiting Thunderbirds 76-48 in a non-league tussle Saturday at Edmonds-Woodway High School.

While Mount Tahoma did grab a 35-34 lead on a Johnny Brown bucket 30 seconds into the second half, it would be the only advantage they would hold all night as the Hawks outscored the Thunderbirds 18-2 over the next four minutes to take control of the contest.

Terrace continued to pour it on, blitzing Mount Tahoma 19-5 in the final quarter to seal the victory.

Ranked No. 18 in the WIAA 3A state RPI rankings and boasting a roster of quick, athletic and experienced players, many expected Mount Tahoma to challenge the Hawks in the non-league neutral court matchup. But the Thunderbirds wilted in the second half against the bigger and faster Terrace squad, led in scoring by Jaxon Dubiel with a game-high 23 points.

With the win, Terrace will hold on to their current No. 1 ranking in the WIAA 3A state RPI.

Gabe Towne scored 22 points for the Hawks on Saturday, a season high for the 6-foot-7 senior who may have been given additional playing time by Coach Nalin Sood as senior Svayjeet Singh was sidelined for the game due to a sore right ankle.

“I felt I played good,” Towne said after the victory. “I mean, there’s always more work to be done but I felt I played pretty good today.”

While Towne did sink a long-range 3-pointer in the third quarter, nearly all of his scoring came in the lane and which included a dunk for the Hawks’ first points of the game. Towne benefitted from a number of inside passes coming from fellow Hawk big man Zaveon Jones to pick up some of his inside buckets.

“Zaveon’s got eyes in the back of his head,” Towne said. “He throws me passes that I don’t even see myself in the lane. It’s great to play with him. His feet are just amazing for how big he is. He’s a great player.”

“You’ve got to definitely be ready because every once in a while he’ll throw you one that’s crazy: ‘oh, I’ve got the ball in my hand,’ ” Towne added.

In addition to his numerous assists to Towne, Jones scored 15 points.

After getting very limited varsity playing time last year, Towne said he is really enjoying the chance to play extended minutes this season, especially with this team.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “I’ve been playing with these guys since we were all in fourth grade. We’re really tight knit. It’s been great playing together.”

Towne also pointed to the contribution that seldom-used Brody Myers-Little made in the Hawks’ win over the Thunderbirds. The junior scored seven points in the game, his single-game highest point total for the season.

“I was pretty proud of him for showing up and doing his job tonight,” Towne said of Myers-Little.

Mount Tahoma (10-6 overall) had three players scores in double figures, as Zane Cordero, Logan Walker and Domarion Sawyer each scored 10 points.

The Hawks (15-1) shift back to Wesco League play with four games over the final two weeks of the regular season starting with a Tuesday, Jan. 23, contest back at Edmonds-Woodway High School against the Warriors.

Even though they are undefeated in league play and face four teams with a combined record of 21-39, Towne said he and his Terrace teammates don’t plan on coasting through these next two weeks.

“We’ve still got to keep working, doing what we’re doing, continue to play how we’re suppose to play, do what we’re supposed to do,” Towne said. “Everybody’s got to do their job.

“We’ve still got some league games we’ve got to go and we’ve got to play hard in. We’ve still got to work,” he said.

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Mountlake Terrace 76, Mount Tahoma 48

Mount Tahoma 14 19 10 5 – 48
Mountlake Terrace 23 11 23 19 – 76

Mountlake Terrace individual scoring: Jaxon Dubiel 23, Gabe Towne 22, Zaveon Jones 15, Brody Myers-Little 7, Rayshaun Connor 6, Logan Tews 3, Joe Asalifew, Chance Chalmers, Don Brown

Mount Tahoma individual scoring: Zane Cordero 10, Logan Walker 10, Domarion Sawyer 10, Jah-Jah Abdullah 8, Johnny Brown 6, TJ Mackey 2, Landen Glodowski 2, Tre’ Walker, Carter Williford

Records: Mountlake Terrace 11-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 15-1 overall; Mount Tahoma 5-3 in 3A Pierce County League; 10-6 overall

Mountlake Terrace next game: versus Edmonds-Woodway; Tuesday, Jan. 23; 7:15 p.m. at Edmonds-Woodway High School

— By Doug Petrowski