Frank Allen and Dallin Anderson are helping the Knights set the tone heading into Saturday's regional matchup against Lakewood.
Nearly an hour after Bremerton's boys basketball practice concluded Tuesday, there were still a handful of players lingering around Ken Wills Court, taking casual turns trying to knock down 3-pointers.
One of those players, sophomore Jalen Davis, is the Knights' top talent who's already attracting NCAA Division I interest after scoring over 30 points per game this season. The son of head coach Miah Davis is one of the main reasons No. 3 Bremerton (18-5) is considered a Class 2A title contender heading into Saturday's regional matchup against No. 6 Lakewood (18-6) at the University of Puget Sound's Memorial Fieldhouse.
Another player, senior Dallin Anderson, recently worked his way into the starting lineup but his basketball career is drawing to a close. Anderson is the school's long-distance track and field/cross country ace who plans to compete in college, but only after embarking on a two-year church mission.
These players could have departed when practice concluded at 7 p.m. But they didn't.
"I can leave them like this all day," said Miah Davis, hinting that players congregating after practice is not an uncommon event. "I have to kick them out of the gym. They just love being around each other."
Out of the five West Sound boys and girls basketball teams still alive this winter, it's the Knights that likely have the best chance at returning home with a trophy on March 8, the final day of the 2A state tournament in Yakima. Last year, Bremerton nearly pulled off the unthinkable at the Sun Dome as the No. 11 seed, reaching the semifinals and taking No. 1 seed and eventual state champion Lynden down to wire, falling 53-52.
Bremerton settled for fifth place after losing to North Kitsap to close out the tournament, earning its first state trophy since 1999. It was an impressive run for a relatively young and inexperienced playoff team — and one that wasn't operating at full strength, either.
"The whole team was sick at state," Knights senior Frank Allen revealed this week. "We were chugging Pedialyte the whole time."
Taking precautions to ward off any team-wide illnesses over the next week and a half, Bremerton is serious about its state title chances after winning last weekend's West Central District title with a blowout over Franklin Pierce, 66-34. The Knights don't want last winter's playoff success to be seen as a fluke; rather, a sign of things to come with a roster that includes two freshmen, five sophomores, two juniors and two seniors.
"I think our mindset is where it needs to be," Miah Davis said.
It was Bremerton's two seniors, Allen and Anderson, that Davis challenged to "set the tone" at the beginning of practice Tuesday. It's not the time for going through the motions.
"Now it's the playoff season. We need to kick it up into high gear," Allen said. "It's my last year, so I've got to give it everything I have. Coach Miah always tells us, every game, empty the tank as much as we can."
"I think we're all super confident in what we can do," added Anderson.
When Miah Davis talked about Bremerton's community "needing to be inspired by something," he's not only talking about his team's prospects of winning a state title. He's talking about his diverse group of players who love being around each other. For the seniors, the end will come one way or another.
"This high school feeling, the memories, the family we've built," Allen added, "that's going to go away."
Whether the season ends with a championship or not, this group wants to savor every second they get to spend together over the next two weeks.
"I just can't wait to keep growing together as a team," Anderson said.
Regional basketball playoff schedule for Kitsap area teams
Friday, Class 2A girls: No. 12 North Mason vs. No. 13 Renton at Mount Tahoma HS, 8 p.m. (loser-out game)
Friday, Class 2A boys: No. 13 Bainbridge vs. No. 13 Franklin Pierce at University of Puget Sound, 8 p.m. (loser-out game)
Saturday, Class 1B girls: No. 12 Crosspoint vs. No. 13 Wilbur-Creston-Keller at Mount Tahoma HS, 4 p.m. (loser-out game)
Saturday, Class 2A boys: No. 3 Bremerton vs. No. 6 Lakewood at University of Puget Sound, 6 p.m. (both teams advance)
Saturday, Class 2A girls: No. 8 Bainbridge vs. No. 1 Lynden at Mount Vernon HS, 8 p.m. (both teams advance)