Viks feel they’re playing in top form at right time

One by one, the players stepped up to the free-throw line, each Viking concentrating deeply on the crucial task in front of him.

Six up, six down. Eventually, there were a pair of misses, but in the end, 9-of-11 charity shots fell to the team’s delight.

There was to be no extra running after practice on this day — a good, very good, thing.

“Hitting those free throws consecutively … You didn’t want to let someone else down,” Inglemoor High boys basketball coach Greg Lowell, in his 21st season at the helm, told his players.

Added senior co-captain Todd Campbell: “We have to make our free throws, at least 8-of-11 — and not once have we missed it this season. Everyone picks each other up.”

Benji Bryant, another senior captain, chipped in: “First, we run .. then shoot free throws … and if we miss, we have to run again, so everybody wants to sink their free throws. I guess everybody doesn’t like to run.”

Inglemoor’s 11 will be running the court this week at the 4A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome. The Sea-King 4A District runners-up — following a 60-55 loss to Garfield in the championship game on Friday night — will take on Roosevelt at 9 a.m. today to tip things off. The tournament runs through March 7.

Lowell is back on familiar ground at the Dome, having taken his 2005 and 2006 teams to the tourney. This year’s Vikings finished atop the 4A Kingco Crown Division with a 12-4 record and carry a 17-6 record into today’s matchup.

The longtime coach gazed onto the court and analyzed his players during last Wednesday’s practice, just three days before the district championship game.

“I’m really proud of these guys, they’re a hard-working group of kids,” Lowell said. “The chemistry was good all year, but it’s really started to come together (now).

“We’ve won a lot of close basketball games. The kids kept getting confident all the way through.”

Campbell, Bryant and final senior captain Adam McElwee agree that wins against Bothell and Issaquah in the 4A Kingco tournament have been some of the team’s best performances this season.

In a 71-59 comeback victory over Issaquah, Bryant and Campbell scored 21 and 16 points, respectively, to lead the Vikings to the Tacoma Dome.

“We’re coming together at the right time and I think we’re playing our best basketball when it matters,” McElwee said.

Campbell, who starred as the Vikings’ quarterback during football season, says players like Bryant and McElwee can certainly scorch the nets, but they’re also glad to make a great pass or stuff the lane on defense.

“Everyone buys into that and it starts a chain reaction, with the younger players, too,” he said.

Bryant, whose older brother C.J. played on the Vikings’ 2006 state team, echoed coach Lowell’s comment about team chemistry, but took his analysis a step further.

“We’ve got quiet guys, guys who like to mess around — a good balance of players and we all work well together,” he said.

And those more energetic guys will play a big role in keeping the Vikings on task throughout the state tournament, which could last two to four games for the locals.

McElwee has a good feeling about the Vikings’ chances of succeeding at state and is excited to be along for the ride.

“I’ve seen other players go to state and thought, ‘That could be me,’” he said.

It’s the 2009 Vikings’ time to shine at the big dance, and Bryant delivers the team’s game plan: “We need to come out mentally prepared for 32 minutes. We really want to be ready from start to finish.”

Let the games begin.