By Gerardo Bolong

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Playoff fever struck for the first time in four seasons for the Foster Bulldog boys basketball team on Mon., Jan. 28.

Making the most of their postseason appearance at home, the sixth-seeded Bulldogs overcame early hot shooting from 11th seed Eatonville to overcome the Cruisers 89-63 in a first round SPSL 2A league tournament game.

The Bulldogs (14-6) won their sixth straight game and traveled one win away from a district berth and will next trek to Renton on Wed., Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. Foster shocked the division leading Indians at home in their recent encounter.

“I’m really proud of their accomplishment,” said first-year head coach Robert Graham, Sr. “I expect a tough game. They’ll be coming hard at us, but we’re not backing down.”

In a quick moving style of game, both teams knocked down three-balls and penetrated to the basket in the first quarter.

Consecutive three-pointers from Jamari Severson followed by a three-ball from Markell Jackson preceded a three-point play from guard Nyel Hair as Foster forged a 28-17 lead after one quarter.

Six-foot, six-inch Jalen Fayson, Xavier Bowen and Isaiah Ford joined the effort in ball sharing and the ever present attacking defense to build leads that never dropped below 14-points.

The lead reached apex of 32 points with just less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter with reserves playing many minutes.

Fayson worked inside and outside for 27 points. Jackson was 4 of 6 from beyond the three-point arc en route to 20 points plus five steals and five assists. Hair ran for 15 points. Severson added 12 points. Drew Hill was active for eight points plus five assists as Ford completed the Bulldog scoring at seven.