Senior captains Colin Monahan and Milo Berkley are excited about what their Mercer Island High School (MIHS) boys basketball team will bring onto the court this season.
The hard-working Islanders will unleash a fast-paced offensive style by moving the ball well and sharing the scoring. On defense, they’ll uncork some intensity while putting on the pressure, diving for loose balls and taking charges.
MIHS will tip off its season on Dec. 1 at home against Snohomish and then follow that game up with another home contest against against Hazen on Dec. 5 before traveling to Juanita for a matchup on Dec. 9.
“We’ll all get a chance to move the ball and we’ll just play unselfishly and not care who’s exactly scoring, but as long as we’re scoring as a team,” said Monahan, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard/point guard.
Added Berkley, a 6-2 shooting guard/small forward: “We’ve already performed really well in fall league; and during the summer, we showed a lot of good flashes. We’ve won a good amount of games.”
After losing five starters from last year’s team, head coach Gavin Cree noted that the guys are coming together around their core principles of passion, grit and selflessness.
According to Monahan, MIHS players to watch for on the energetic and fun squad are senior Andrei McDonald, juniors Tyler Rockfeld, Finn Killian, Ewan Shea and Jayden Yuen and sophomores Henry May and Caden Conklin.
Both captains are starting their second seasons on varsity and they’ve been around the Islander program the last five to six years. They’ve made friendships and become part of a community during their time with the hoops program.
Monahan has gained leadership skills through his experience in the program that he’s able to apply to his life on and off the court.
Berkley offered his assessment of the MIHS squad as the Islanders prepare to kick things into gear: “I think we’re all really experienced in our own ways, even if that isn’t like through playing a lot of varsity games or a lot of varsity minutes. I think we all expect big things from us this year, and the goal is to make it to the Tacoma Dome (to state).”
The Reporter asked Monahan and Berkley a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lives:
What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given?
Monahan: I think the best piece of advice is it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.
Berkley: To surround yourself with people who are like better than you are.
If you could go to dinner with one person, who would that be?
Monahan: I would say my grandpa, because I never got to talk to him. So that’d be cool to do.
Berkley: Historically, Napoleon.
What superpower would you like to have?
Monahan: I think teleportation, because it’d be really useful to travel the world and stuff. I get to see a lot of things.
Berkley: I’d also say I’d want to teleport.
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Monahan: “Like Mike.”
Milo Berkley lines up for a free throw. Photo courtesy of Linda Kercher
Colin Monahan moves the ball up court. Photo courtesy of Rick Edelman
