The Liberty Patriots boys basketball players are one win away from their goal of making the Tacoma Dome for the first time in program history after defeating the Silas Rams 63-51 at home on Feb. 25.

So far this Liberty side has taken on teams the likes of Rainier Beach, Bellevue, Mount Si and Seattle Prep — teams riddled across 4A and 3A top eight seeds in Washington State. But Silas, the 20th seed in the state tournament, stuck out to Liberty Head Coach Omar Parker.

“The thing we have struggled with at times is toughness. That Silas team is one of the toughest teams we have played all season. I thought we matched that toughness. It wasn’t a perfect game, things weren’t clicking, and we were missing shots,” Parker said.

Silas has been a story in their own right; the Rams were the 14th seed in the District 3 tournament but found a way to sneak into the state tournament with a nine-point win Timberline. The Rams punched back at Liberty in the second quarter, but the Patriots found a way to battle back, something Parker has been waiting to see.

“We were missing shots, but we had a resolve that we hadn’t seen in the past few games. It’s a huge step and a huge win for us moving forward,” Parker said.

In the first quarter, Liberty came out firing. A three from Hansen Fan and lay-in from Max Vermeulen got the Patriots in front quickly causing a Silas timeout. But from that moment forward the Rams went shot for shot with the Patriots.

At the end of the first, the lead was as it was at the beginning of the first quarter with Liberty leading 18-13.

The second quarter was where Liberty faced adversity. The Patriots missed their first seven shots of the second quarter and Silas rode that momentum to a 21-20 lead, their first and only of the game.

“Whether the shots go in or not. You have to separate the result from the process. We were getting lay-ins, executing screening and getting open shots. So I didn’t have a problem with that (seven straight misses). I didn’t want to put extra pressure on the offense,” Parker said.

Parker brought the focus of his team to defense and rebounding in hopes that the ball would find the hole and later in the second quarter, it did. “Our thing was to get some stops. If we aren’t making shots, let’s make sure they aren’t making any either. At some point the ball will fall in the hoop, just keep shooting,” Jackson Whitaker said.

Liberty got seven points from Jackson Whitaker, and six points off the bench (Tyson Burley 3, Elijah Nordland 3, Nordland’s first points of the new year) in the second quarter and weathered the storm to take a 33-27 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.

In the third quarter, Liberty’s defense shined even brighter. Led by Isaac Roberts and Vermeulen, the Patriot defense held Silas to its lowest quarter of the game, just eight points of offense for the Rams.

“We got some dogs on our team, we got some dogs that want to work,” Whitaker said.

If the third quarter’s focus for Liberty was defense, the fourth quarter’s focus was giving Jackson Whitaker the ball. He missed his first shot of the fourth, a right-hand scoop lay-up. But after that he either made a basket or got to the free throw line. Whitaker scored 11 straight points in the fourth quarter for the Patriots to put the game on ice.

“My coaches and my teammates trust me, which I am very fortunate to have that. My teammates pump me with confidence and I feel secure playing in those moments. I know that no matter what my teammates have my back,” Whitaker said.

It wasn’t news to anyone that Whitaker was going to have the ball in his hands, and he still executed.

“When the game is on the line you are going to get the ball to your best offensive player. I thought Jackson did a great job and his teammates really helped him… He also made a couple key passes, he maintained team basketball without pressing,” Parker said.

Playing in front of their own fans was a huge piece of motivation for the Patriots. As they now head to the next round of the state tournament, they are headed to a neutral site. Jackson High School for their next game.

“We have the best student section in Washington,” Whitaker said.

Parker is even confident that the student section is going to make the 30-ish mile trip up North to watch the Patriots play. “Playing in front of our fans and students showing up at 8’oclock on a weekday to support us makes a huge difference for us, especially high school kids. I’m pretty confident that our students are fired up and they will follow us up there.”

Liberty is now tasked with the Shorecrest Scots, with a trip to the Tacoma Dome on the line. The Scots have lost just three games all season and are coming off a four-point loss to Monroe and a two-point win over Marysville-Getchell.

“We just got to play super tough. They are a big team and can shoot it pretty good. We are going to have to play really hard and really physical and rebound the hell out of the ball,” said Whitaker.

Jackson Whitaker dribbles the basketball past a defender. Photo taken by Maria Dorsten.