Photos
The first-year girls basketball coach at River Ridge High School isn’t the only basketball coach in his family. Robinson’s father-in-law is George Karl, the former Seattle SuperSonics coach and current coach of the Denver Nuggets. Robinson is married to Karl’s eldest daughter, Kelci. The couple met in 2005 and now has two young children.
“He’s a cool father-in-law,” Robinson said of Karl. “He’s a smart guy, a philosopher. He’s the best you want to have.”
This week is a big one for Robinson. His Hawks earned a share of the 2A Evergreen Conference crown, along with W.F. West, and will host Hockinson, the No. 3 seed from the 2A Greater St. Helens League, tonight at 7 in the first round of the District IV tournament. River Ridge is vying for its third district title in a row and ninth consecutive trip to the state tournament.
As you can imagine, basketball is a common topic discussed by Karl and Robinson. Karl coached the Sonics from 1991-98, leading the franchise to the NBA Finals in 1996, where they lost to Chicago in six games. He won his 1,000th career game on Dec. 10, 2010, with the Nuggets.
Just last Saturday, Karl invited the entire River Ridge team to Portland, where his Nuggets took on the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. Portland beat Denver, 117-97, but Karl met with the River Ridge players afterward. He has kept tabs on how the River Ridge girls have done this season, and he gave the Hawks sound motivation for the playoffs.
This wasn’t the first time the Hawks have met the 23-year NBA coach. Back in the late fall, Karl made a visit to Lacey and went to an early-morning weightlifting session at River Ridge. He chatted with the players about his career, beliefs, teamwork and leadership.
“They enjoyed that a lot,” Robinson said. “He understands the game so well. He always is asking how the team is doing.”
Robinson was a member of The Evergreen State College’s 2001-02 men’s basketball team that made its first appearance in the NAIA tournament and advanced to the round of 16. He played professional basketball briefly overseas in Germany before returning to the area as a coach. Prior to this season, he served as an assistant coach at Timberline.
Robinson said he feels his team is jelling at the right time – the postseason. River Ridge has won five of its past six games, and Robinson hopes his team’s quickness and defensive pressure will be a difference maker tonight against Hockinson.
“I like it when we play fast,” Robinson said. “When we play fast, we get a lot of transition baskets and we’re able to pressure the ball at the other end. It’s a big (part of) what we do.”
OLYMPIA-BELLARMINE, PART III
Both the Olympia and Bellarmine Prep boys basketball teams ended the 4A Narrows regular-season with 13-1 records Wednesday, each losing to the other on the road this season. A tiebreaker game between the two teams will tip at 7 tonight at Foss with the winner earning the No. 1 seed into the West Central/Southwest bi-district tournament. The loser receives the No. 2 seed.
STREAKING HAWKS
With Tuesday’s 72-48 win over Aberdeen, the River Ridge boys earned a share of the EvCo title along with North Thurston. The Hawks won the previous four EvCo titles outright. River Ridge and North Thurston ended the regular season at 9-3 in EvCo play, but the tiebreaker scenario for district seeding purposes goes by head-to-head records against the third-place team (W.F. West). River Ridge swept the Bearcats, while the Rams split their regular-season games. River Ridge is the EvCo’s No. 1 seed and hosts Black Hills in the district tournament opener while North Thurston is the second seed and hosts Washougal. Both games are at 7 p.m. Saturday.
MORE POSTSEASON
All regional wrestling tournaments take place this weekend. The 2A Region II tournament begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Centralia High School. Centralia, which won last weekend’s subregional meet, is the defending regional team champion.
Yelm, Timberline and Capital will take part in the Region III 3A tournament at Bonney Lake today and Saturday. Yelm will take 25 wrestlers to the regional.
Olympia and Shelton will compete at the Region III 4A tournament at Jefferson on Saturday.
Castle Rock will host the Region III/IV girls tournament Saturday. The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to next weekend’s Mat Classic XXIII.
North Thurston looks to defend its boys swimming title at the District IV championships Friday and Saturday at Longview’s Mark Morris High School. The Rams will send 27 swimmers to the meet. Capital and Timberline boys swim teams will compete at the West Central District III meet today and Saturday at Hazen.
Capital, Olympia and North Thurston-Timberline-River Ridge gymnastics teams compete Saturday at the 4A and 3A/2A West Central District III meet at Mount Rainier. The top seven individuals and two all-around in 4A, and the top 12 individuals and top four all-around in 3A/2A move on to the state meet next weekend at the Tacoma Dome.
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473
mwochnick@theolympian.com
CLASS 2A DISTRICT IV BASKETBALL
First-round games
GIRLS
Today
Game 1: Hockinson at River Ridge, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Tumwater at Mark Morris, 7 p.m.
Game 3: North Thurston at Woodland, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Black Hills at W.F. West, 7 p.m.
BOYS
Saturday
Game 1: Washougal at North Thurston, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Black Hills at Mark Morris, 7 p.m.
Game 3: W.F. West at Hockinson, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Tumwater at River Ridge, 7 p.m.
More prep basketball schedules, Page B5
