Shorecrest, Shorewood Boys and Girls Basketball Teams Meet Saturday in Day-Long Event at Shorewood High School

For the second consecutive year, andwill battle in boys and girls basketball in a day-long event.

The day will culminate in the evening with two varsity games, both of which will also be broadcast on Shoreline Education Access Channel 26 (Comcast Cable) or 36 (Frontier) with production courtesy of Live Video Production classes, which are made up of students from the respective schools.

Last year's event, which was held at Shorecrest, was the first of its kind and was such a success according to District Athletic Secretary Vicki Klein, that the District wanted to use the format again this season with the T-Birds as the hosts.

Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students without ASB cards. Students with ASB cards are admitted free of charge.

The schedule for the day is as follows and is subject to change:

9:30 a.m.: Freshmen girls
11:30 a.m.: Freshmen boys
1:30 p.m.: Junior Varsity girls
3:30 p.m.: Junior Varsity boys
5:30 p.m.: Varsity girls
7:30 p.m.: Varsity boys

What to watch for: Boys Game

The Scots will come into Saturday evening's finale against the T-Birds as a team with plenty of momentum.

Since the first of the year, Shorecrest has managed a 4-1 record, falling only to league leader Glacier Peak last week by five.

Junior Chibuogwu is the Scots most versatile offensive player.

Chibuogwu has the size (6-6) to get the ball to the hoop and the touch to make defenders who cheat into the paint pay by knocking down shots from long-range.

Keith Shattuck is another player coach Marv Morris' T-Birds will need to key on.

Shattuck shoots without a conscience and has the ability to change a game with his outside shot, something Shorewood players with the Scots this season.

Unlike their cross-town rivals, the T-Birds have yet to hit their stride since the calendar turned to 2011.

Shorewood is a meager 1-4 in the new year, suffering blow out losses to Mountlake Terrace and Glacier Peak and dropping close contests to Oak Harbor and Meadowdale.

If the T-Birds hope to turn their season around and make the district tournament next month, a win against the Scots is absolutely necessary.

will be the tallest player on the floor by at least three inches and Shorewood would be wise to work the ball through the post early.

If Hawkinson can produce some offense and get Chibuogwu and Shattuck in foul trouble, this game could begin to turn for the T-Birds early at home.

What to watch for: Girls Game

The Shorecrest girls basketball team could be the hottest team in 3A WesCo right now, having won each of their last six games including a thrilling

The Scots have built their success on a tenacious and frustrating zone-defense that opponents have neither been able to solve nor survive.

Only one of the five teams (Lynnwood, who scored 52 in the loss) Shorecrest has bested during the stretch was able to manage more than 41 points and two of them, Juanita and Mountlake Terrace, were held to only 34 and 33 respectively.

If the T-Birds hope to bust out of the Scots zone pressure, they will need a big night from their offensive star, Masha Shtikel.

Shtikel and seniors Erin Ellersick and Lisa Echert will need to move the ball around the perimeter and find open shooters if they hope to keep touch with the Scots.

On the defensive end, Kendra Holley-Lair will likely draw the assignment on Shorecrest post India Matheson.

The 6-1 junior is the Scots leading scorer and emotional leader.

Much like in the boys game, if the 5-10 Holley-Lair and 5-11 sophomore Kassie Rasmussen can bother Matheson early or get her into foul trouble, the pace of the game could quickly turn in the T-Birds' favor.