Watch: After locking up the league title, Skyview's Kazz Parks sees Tacoma Dome as ultimate goal

VANCOUVER — A year ago, most of the Skyview girls basketball team’s woes that led to falling short of the Tacoma Dome were due to injuries.  On Wednesday,
Watch: After locking up the league title, Skyview's Kazz Parks sees Tacoma Dome as ultimate goal
Watch: After locking up the league title, Skyview's Kazz Parks sees Tacoma Dome as ultimate goal /

VANCOUVER — A year ago, most of the Skyview girls basketball team’s woes that led to falling short of the Tacoma Dome were due to injuries. 

On Wednesday, Skyview (12-5, 7-1 4A Greater St. Helens League) ended the regular season with a lopsided loss to Union. While the Storm, the 4A GSHL champs and the top seed entering districts, are situated more favorably than a year ago, the regular season-ending 66-41 loss to Union left a sour taste. 

“It makes me want to get on the girls,” point guard Kazz Parks said. 

“I want to get to the dome”

Last year, it was a different story. Parks was banged up. As was then-senior and leader Remington Riley. The Storm played at less than 100 percent for much of league play.

Now, a healthy Skyview has wrapped up the 4A GSHL title, the top seed going into district playoffs and it got there, coach Brett Johnson says, by improving on what they could control last season.

They had to clear mental hurdles of being “perfect.” After an 11-0 start, the Storm finished the season 4-5 and didn’t make it out of districts. This time around, the preseason, Johnson reminded them, was just a tune-up.

“I told them,” Johnson said, “when you look at it, you‘ve got to stop worrying about the preseason and get ready for the regular season. Just a matter of trying to find the right combination at the right time.”

The Storm’s success is predicated on a disruptive defense, which for much of the season, it has effectively deployed in the form of full court traps, bolstered by Parks, senior Mikelle Anthony and junior Addison MacPherson.

Watch Parks reflect on the season, and the Storm’s mentality entering the postseason:


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Andy Buhler, SBLive Sports
ANDY BUHLER, SBLIVE SPORTS

Andy Buhler is a Regional Editor of Texas and the national breaking news desk. He brings more than five years of experience covering high school sports across the state of Washington and beyond, where he covered the likes of Paolo Banchero and Tari Eason served on state tournament seeding committees. He works on the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings. He has covered everything from the Final Four, MLS in Atlanta to local velodrome before diving into the world of preps. His bylines can be found in The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington), The Associated Press, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), The Oregonian and more. He holds a degree from Gonzaga and is based out of Portland, Oregon.