The Mercer Island boys basketball team used an exhibition win, 59-46, against an Australian junior national team on Monday to warm up for one of the biggest games of the year.

The Islanders will travel to Bellevue High School on Friday for an 8 p.m. tip off, taking on one of their biggest rivals and the No. 3 ranked team in the state.

But despite the ranking, a loss to Liberty has Bellevue second in the KingCo league. A win would give Mercer Island a big advantage in the race for the KingCo title.

The Islanders also played in an exhibition tournament over winter break, going 1-2 in the Seahawk Redondo Beach Classic in California.

Mercer Island began the tournament with a victory, 55-51, against the host team, Redondo Union. During the contest, Quinn Sterling (12 points) and Robbie Taylor (11) led Mercer Island in scoring.

But the Islanders would lose a heart-breaker against Millikan of Long Beach, Calif., 49-48. Mercer Island jumped out to a 16-9 lead during the first quarter but gradually let it slip away. Gabe Fruchter led the Islanders in scoring with 13 points as both Sterling and Peter Zajac scored in double figures.

Despite a 20-point fourth-quarter performance, the Islanders came up just short against North Torrance, Calif., 69-66, during their final game of the tournament.

Sterling again paced the Islanders with 17 points, while Fruchter had 15 and Jon Poli added 14 points.