Cruisers Hold Off Steilacoom as Osborn Jr., Twedt Deliver Career Nights
- Skip Smith
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The Eatonville Cruisers closed out the week on a high note Friday night, using grit, rebounding and timely shooting to earn a 60-56 2A SPSL League victory over the Steilacoom Sentinels at Rainier Connect Arena.
The win gave Eatonville its fourth victory of the season and provided a lift in front of a loud home crowd at Rainier Connect Arena.
The Sentinels and Cruisers traded baskets early, with neither team able to gain separation in the opening quarter. Eatonville’s Sam Twedt scored four points as the teams finished the period tied 10-10.
Eatonville found a brief rhythm to start the second quarter, opening on an 8-3 run to take an 18-13 lead. Steilacoom responded, but the Cruisers carried a 27-24 advantage into halftime behind seven points from Jeremy Osborn Jr.
The third quarter lived up to the physical tone of the first half. Steilacoom outscored Eatonville 15-8 to grab a 40-35 lead late in the period, but the Cruisers answered when Osborn Jr. knocked down a three pointer to spark a 5-0 run. Eatonville reclaimed the lead at 40-39 heading into the fourth, helped by a 12-3 rebounding edge in the quarter.
Steilacoom opened the final period with a three and a 6-2 run to go back in front 45-39. Eatonville answered with a 6-0 surge and never trailed again, closing out a 60-56 win. Twedt scored nine points in the fourth quarter to seal it.
Osborn Jr. led Eatonville with a career-high 20 points to go along with four assists and three rebounds. Twedt added a career-high 18 points and five rebounds, while Ryder Herbrand finished with nine points and seven boards.
“Another great Friday night in our gym—the atmosphere was incredible, and there were so many special moments in the game,” Eatonville head coach Josh Bennett said. “Our togetherness and grit decided the game. The guys were locked in, played for each other, and that’s what got it done.”
The victory came after a challenging road test earlier in the week, when the Cruisers fell 93-50 to Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Eatonville showed early fight in Parkland, taking a 4-3 lead before Washington went on an 11-0 run to build a 14-4 advantage. The Cruisers responded with an 8-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 14-12, but the Patriots closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to lead 22-14. Ryder Herbrand scored six points in the opening period.
The Cruisers again chipped away in the second quarter, opening on a 7-1 run to pull within 23-21. Washington pushed the lead back to six and went into halftime ahead 34-27. Jeremy Osborn Jr. led Eatonville with six points in the quarter.
The third quarter proved decisive. After trading baskets early, Washington used a 13-0 run to stretch its lead from 44-37 to 57-37. The Patriots carried a 65-43 lead into the final quarter despite eight points and five rebounds from Ryder Herbrand.
Washington opened the fourth with a 10-2 run, and although Lane Hinderman hit a three to briefly stop the momentum, the Patriots closed the game on an 18-2 run. Eatonville was limited to seven points in the quarter as eight turnovers and an eight-rebound deficit compounded the trouble.
Ryder Herbrand recorded the first double-double of his career with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Osborn Jr. and Colton Herbrand scored 10 points apiece, and Sam Kralik added eight.
“I am really proud of our guys . We played an awesome first half. Washington's guards kept hitting big shot after big shot and our guys responded. They stayed committed to playing hard and giving maximum effort. Turnovers got the best of us in the second half but there is so much we can learn from this game as we close out league play,” Bennett said.
Bennett also praised Steilacoom’s backcourt following Friday’s matchup.
“Steilacoom’s Terrin Brown Carter and Traeh Lowe (Who finished with 25 and 29 points respectively) are the real deal. There is a reason they both average close to 25 points per game. Those guards can light it up,” he said.
Eatonville will head back on the road Monday, Feb. 2, to face the Franklin Pierce Cardinals in Parkland with tipoff set for 5:15 p.m. The Cruisers then return home later in the week to host league-leading Fife at Rainier Connect Arena with a 7 p.m. start.
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