At the beginning of the season, the Issaquah boys basketball team wanted to get back to state for the first time since the 2004-05 season. After securing that prize already with a 67-54 win over Bothell, the Eagles are looking to make school history.

Despite entering the playoffs with losses in three of its previous four games, coach Jason Griffith’s squad finds itself in tonight’s 4A KingCo title game against Garfield after wins over Roosevelt at Bothell.

The championship presents an unfamiliar opportunity for a program that last reached the league title game in 2006-07 in 3A KingCo. A win would deliver the first conference title for Issaquah boys basketball since Hans Gasser and future Patriot League Player of the Year Garrison Carr took the Eagles all the way to the 3A state title game during the 2002-03 season.

Senior Nick Price has been the steady force throughout the season, averaging a team best 20.7 points per game while helping mentor freshman Ty Gibson, who has risen to the occasion thus far in his first prep postseason.

“The tempo of the game is way faster,” Gibson said of the biggest transition to varsity hoops. “The atmosphere is different too, a lot bigger crowds.”

After adjusting from football and to the increased speed and physicality of the high school game early in the year, Griffith, Price and Gibson himself all agreed the youngster began gaining confidence and trusting in his ability to make plays.

“Once he started getting confident, I knew he would bring that onto the floor,” Price said. “The last four games, which have been the most important, he’s started to get that confidence.”

After hitting double digits only twice during the regular season (most recently before the New Year), Gibson put in 23 points against Newport in an opening round playoff win on 7-10 shooting from the floor, including 3-4 from three point range.

Two night’s later with a spot to state on the line, Gibson delivered again with a game-high 24 points including six three pointers in the win over Bothell.

“As the year went on, the seniors have helped me figure out my role,” Gibson said. “We’ve been capable all season. But now we’re kind of coming together.”

Griffith said he has been pleased with Gibson’s ability to provide offense in bunches as of late, but it was initially his defense that caught the coach’s eye.

“He set himself apart from just about every other guard with his on-ball defense,” Griffith said. “He has an amazing ability to turn kids and catch up with kids from a full court position.”

With Gibson making a name for himself thus far in the playoffs, Price acting as the steadying force and a handful of other contributors including leading rebounder Fletcher Martin and top assist man Brian Watson doing their part, Griffith and the Eagles are hoping this is just the beginning of a journey that is unfamiliar to a group that has never been this deep in the postseason.

Price, for one, has drawn inspiration from another team that recently turned a mediocre regular season into the biggest prize.

“I think of us like the New York Giants,” Price said. “We don’t have the best record going into the playoffs, but we’ve turned it on at the right time.”