Federal Way Eagles punch ticket to state behind efforts of big three

Federal Way senior power forward Malcolm Cola instantly lit up with a million-dollar smile, Saturday.

Never mind his 4A North Puget Sound League Olympic division MVP designation he was awarded the week prior. It wasn’t from leading the Eagles in both scoring (32) and rebounding (16) in the team’s 88-72 playoff win over Kentridge in the quarterfinal round of the West Central district tournament at Mt. Tahoma High School moments earlier: a win that gave the Eagles an automatic berth to the state tournament, the team’s third consecutive.

Cola beamed with pride when asked about the chemistry he’s built with fellow Federal Way (22-1) big men Etan Collins and Jaden McDaniel along the way. The three combined for 58 points and 35 rebounds in the win over the Chargers (15-12).

“On the court and off the court, we’re really close,” Cola said. “We do everything together, and we’re three different classes.”

As the senior, Cola is the elder statesman of the Eagles’ trio. Collins is wrapping up his junior season, and McDaniel is a sophomore.

Cola insists age is just a number when it comes to the inseparable bond the three have formed.

The three routinely sit elbow to elbow during team dinners and on the bus ride to games. Distance, however, doesn’t keep the trio apart, either, as the three also share a liking for video games.

The online gaming capability of Xbox One allows the three to spend countless hours playing together.

“I think we just have a lot in common,” Etan Collins said earlier this season. “We get along really well on and off the court because of it.”

They’re ability to be in sync with one another translates seamlessly to the hardwood, too.

With 4 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter against Kentridge, Chargers point guard AJ Chappell found an opening to the paint through the Eagles’ trap defense.

Chappell made a bee-line for an uncontested layup, but Cola saw the move from the right block, took two steps toward the hoop, rose up and blocked the layup attempt.

On the next defensive possession, Kentridge guard Milo Kabigting tried for the same layup. This time, McDaniel came from behind to swat away the attempt.

“On the court, we know we have each other’s backs when someone’s beating us to the glass,” Cola said. “That’s the thing, Etan’s aggressive, and Jaden’s long. So, we know we can all get there.”

The block party continued all afternoon.

The trio had three by halftime and nine by the time the game ended.

“We’re fortunate to have three big men who love to play together,” Federal Way coach Jerome Collins said. “They were simply men among boys in this one for us. I thought we had some defensive lapses in the first quarter, and they pulled us out of that.”

The game was destined to be a big one for the big three from tipoff. In it’s first motion offensive set, point guard Marcus Stephens swung the ball left to Rashon Slaughter, who then sent the ball to Etan Collins at the top of the key.

Etan Collins floated a pass up high to Cola, who was situated to the left of the hoop, and the senior easily kissed the ball off the glass for the first score of the afternoon.

In the second quarter, McDaniel sent an eye-level dart to Cola from just shy of mid-court, which Cola finished with a one-handed lay in off the glass.

In the third quarter, Collins finished off a textbook Federal Way fastbreak off a McDaniel steal with a soaring dunk to put the Eagles up 53-40.

“We’re playing like a team, and we’re playing with more energy,” Cola said. “With Kentwood, we were going back and forth. We don’t want to do that. We want to play our game. We don’t want a team to make us play their game.”

With less than two minutes to play, Cola finished his night the way it started — with a layup.

He came to the bench to a rousing ovation from fans and teammates, and, for the first time all afternoon, Cola’s signature smile made its first appearance.

It returned when he realized the Eagles officially punched their ticket to state with the win. It grew even larger when he was asked to describe the effort put forth by Federal Way’s big three.

“It’s playoff time. You got to take it to another level,” Cola said. “We played with all the energy we have. We prepare ourselves by eating right, warming up right and focusing on the opponent. That’s what we came out and did.”

Eagles senior Malcolm Cola goes in for a layup in Saturday’s playoff win over Kentridge. Cola led the team with 32 points and 16 rebounds. JEROD YOUNG, the Mirror