Seattle Academy improves to 10-0 with win over Lindbergh | Boys basketball

RENTON — The best team you've probably never heard of took care of business, as usual, on Thursday night with swift efficiency after halftime.

Seattle Academy, a 1A school, handled 2A Lindbergh 77-60 and improved to 10-0 this season. The Cardinals, ranked in the top five in some 1A polls across the state, made it to the round of 16 in the playoffs last year and graduated just one senior off that team.

This year, coach Michael Claxton and his team came in looking to take the next step. The Cardinals played in Rainier Beach's summer league and also played 3A and 4A schools across the mountains to sharpen themselves.

"We have very high expectations," Claxton said. "They're hungry."

Seattle Academy certainly did that in a decisive third quarter against Lindbergh (4-6). The Cardinals held a six-point lead at halftime, and outplayed an equally aggressive Lindbergh team in the first two quarters.

But Seattle Academy also had 13 first-half turnovers and allowed the Eagles to score layups in transition.

In the third quarter, though, Seattle Academy had just three turnovers and relied on juniors Daniel Davydov, who had nine points in the quarter, and Jeremiah Hobbs, who had four points and three rebounds.

Davydov scored the game's first seven points and finished with 26. Hobbs finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. His biggest block came in the third quarter when he slapped a layup attempt off the backboard, leading to a Davydov layup on the other end.

That extended Seattle Academy's lead to 10 — the largest of the game to that point — forcing Lindbergh to take a timeout.

"I think we have the highest skill set of all the teams I've coached," said Claxton, who's in his seventh year.

It's also the deepest team he has had. He played 11 players rather extensively on Thursday, and six scored at least six points, including 13 from Calin Washington.

"Something that's been a difference this season is depth," Claxton said.

Colin Malone led Lindbergh with 17 points.

By Jayson Jenks Seattle Times staff reporter

By Jayson Jenks
Seattle Times staff reporter