LYNNWOOD — Two weeks removed from hoisting a state championship trophy, three key players from the title-winning soccer side suited up in black-and-purple road jerseys and started for Viking basketball Monday in the 24-25 season opener: a tough road affair at Meadowdale, a team that lost just twice at home all last year, en route to an 18-3 season.
And yet Lake’s winning ways exhibited in the Fall sports season carried over into Winter Monday, with Lake Stevens beating Meadowdale 66-55, behind 26 points and 17 rebounds from sophomore Noelani Tupua and 20 points from junior Keira Tupua.
Kendel Kuehl added seven points, Tessa Anastasi had five and the senior Griffyn Eyman — saddled with four fouls — still chipped in four points. (Continued after the video.)
Noelani Tupua drives and scores.
Tessa Anastasi. Photo by J425.
Season Outlook
Like many Lake Stevens teams these days, this Viking basketball squad holds title ambitions, with the Purple and Gold returning four starters and their two leading scorers from an 18-5 state qualifying team that hovered in the top ten most of the season.
The Vikings romped through Wesco with an undefeated 8-0 record last year, taking the league crown and earning the ninth seed at state,
where Lake bowed out to Gonzaga Prep.
(Top, l-r) Tessa Anastasi, team shot, Keira Tupua; (Middle, l-r) Noelani Tupua, Anastasi; (Bottom, l-r) Noelani Tupua, Keira Tupua. Photos by J425.
The Viks are powered by familiar faces: six-foot sophomore guard Noelani Tupua, fresh off a 24-goal state title winning season in soccer that has her in line for All State and possible Gatorade State POY honors in the coming days; junior combo guard Keira Tupua a title-winning soccer forward and state placer in track; junior guard Tessa Anastasi — soccer’s star all league goalkeeper — and returning two-year starter senior Griffyn Eyman in the post.
Lake Kicks off 2024 with Impressive Road Win
On Monday, Lake’s second-year head coach Seth Dodge rolled out a lineup with height and skill.
Returning All Wesco performers Kiera and Noelani Tupua - forwards on the soccer team — started across a three guard backcourt joined by their goalkeeper Tessa Anastasi - a defensive-minded guard on the hardcourt. Eyman and 5’11 junior Kendel Kuehl started at post.
Guard is simply a placeholder with respect to Noelani Tupua (above) who brings the ball up like a point guard, showcasing a refined set of ball handling skills and passing vision — and yet also ripped down 17 rebounds, leveraging her six foot frame and increasing strength.
Keira (video, above) is a combo guard who often heads the Viking defense, harassing opp ball handlers in the back court and/ or at the top of the key.
Anastasi (clip, above) is a tough, defense-first point guard, Eyman is a stretch five with a shot that extends past the arc and Kuehl is a developing talent with great hands and finishing ability.
On Monday, the Viks started slow with just a 12-point first quarter.
A twenty point second staked Lake to a halftime lead with Keira Tupua leading all scorers with 12 of the Viks’ 32 points at half.
Noelani Tupua (battling in the interior, above) took over in the second half - with ten in the fourth quarter - as the Viks turned a one possession game into a double digit win midway through the final quarter.
Noelani made ten buckets and added 6/10 at the line for 26 on the night.
Keira had eight field goals and added 4/10 at the line for 20 points.
Curiously, according to the official scorer, the Viks didn’t make any three pointers Monday although this beautiful sequence produced a toe-on-the-line Keira Tupua jumper off the Griff Eyman assist / Noelani Tupua hockey assist:
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