KNIGHTS SCORE - Greg Morrison of East puts up a basket in the second quarter that narrowed Knight deficit to six points at 27-33 with 1:52 left in the half. Margin didn't stand, however.  Mount Tahoma added three free throws before intermission to hold a nine-point bulge. Trying to check Morrison are game hero Roger Malfait, with hand in front of Morrison's face, and his brother Bruce who tallied 20 points. At left are T-Bird Tom Temple (31) and Knight Mike Holen (20). Roger scored driving lay-in with six seconds left in game that was decider in 57-56 win by the Tacoma quintet.

By JOHN K. SMITH

Sun Sports Writer

Driving lay-up through the key by senior reserve guard Roger Malfait brought the Mount Tahoma Thunderbirds their second squeaking triumph of the young prep basketball season here. And it cost the East Knights all the profit of a come-from-behind pressing court assault that went from a 16-point deficit late in the third quarter to a one-point lead with 30 seconds left to play.

Malfait's bucket with six seconds on the clock produced a 57-56 victory for the Thunderbirds in a non-league tussle last night just one week after they had defeated West 53-50 in a Capital league encounter.

BY RIGHTS, Roger's sophomore brother Bruce, a starting forward, should have been the hero. The plump youngster dumped in 20 points for game individual scoring honors. Bruce planked in five straight field goals after one miss, all in the first quarter, and had 14 points at halftime in the T-Birds' 36-27 lead. For the night, Bruce sank 10 of 14 field goal attempts and the only thing that kept him from scoring more was the lack of opportunity. He didn't get to the free throw lane one.

Next to him, center Art Smith, who almost singlehandedly destroyed West last week with a 30-point outburst, should have rated the here's badge. he tallied 18 points, netting only four of 13 goal tries but meshing 10 of 16 free throw attempts.

They weren't.

Roger had to draw the accolades although he contributed only six points to the Thunderbird total. His final basket won the game - and he had tried only three shots, making all three. He, too, failed to get a chance to mount the Tahoma count at the charity stripe.

EAST, FOR the second straight game, had field goal accuracy problems, shooting more often than the Tahomans but hitting only a final 37.3 per cent to an even 50 per cent for the visitors.

At the free throw line, the pendulum swung slightly the other way. Knights nailed 18 of 26, 69.2 per cent, while T-Birds were netting 15 of 25, 60 per cent.

After a ding-dong first quarter found East ahead, 17-16, the roof started to collapse on the hosts.

Tahomans belted in 20 points to 10 for East in the next eight minutes to construct the eight-point gap at intermission. Smith was the key there, getting eight points, but six T-Birds altogether contributed at least two points to the smashing total.

East had tried to force the Thunderbirds to play its running game. Instead, the T-Birds coerced the Knights into matching their deliberate, play set-up style. And that was a mismatch.

THE SECOND half began in the same manner the first had ended. Tahomans took their time - and kept building the score. With 3:08 left in the third quarter, the Thunderbirds had a whopping 16-point advantage and appeared capable of at least retaining it.

Wham went the full-court press by East.

Blooey went the margin.

In the next one minute and three seconds - that's all - the Knights scored nine consecutive points, seven of them by forward Mike Holen, to trail by just seven. Last two minutes of the hectic period was scoreless with turnovers by both teams in a sliding, diving, slapping ball-tackling affair.

Knights didn't let up the pressure in the fourth quarter.

Holen and Jim Tienhaara goaled for East to make it 46-49 with 7:06 to go.

HOLD THAT POSE - Except for the differing uniforms, it appears a football play with Bill Carter (32) handing off to center Art Smith of Mount Tahoma during last night's 57-56 non-league cage victory by the Tacomans. Watching action are East's Paul Scheyer (42) and Larry Beach (right). this pose was struck late in the third quarter during East's full-court press that fought back from a 16-point disadvantage to climactic one-point lead with 30 seconds to play. Final counter went to Mount Tahoma, however, and the brilliant Knight rally was in vain.

- Sun photos by Robert L. Foster

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After a ding-dong first quarter found East ahead, 17-16, the roof started to collapse on the hosts.

Tahomans belted in 20 points to 10 for East in the next eight minutes to construct the eight-point gap at intermission. Smith was the key there, getting eight points, but six T-Birds altogether contributed at least two points to the smashing total.

East had tried to force the Thunderbirds to play its running game. Instead, the T-Birds coerced the Knights into matching their deliberate, play set-up style. And that was a mismatch.

THE SECOND half began in the same manner the first had ended. Tahomans took their time - and kept building the score. With 3:08 left in the third quarter, the Thunderbirds had a whopping 16-point advantage and appeared capable of at least retaining it.

Wham went the full-court press by East.

Blooey went the margin.

In the next one minute and three seconds - that's all - the Knights scored nine consecutive points, seven of them by forward Mike Holen, to trail by just seven. Last two minutes of the hectic period was scoreless with turnovers by both teams in a sliding, diving, slapping ball-tackling affair.

Knights didn't let up the pressure in the fourth quarter.

Holen and Jim Tienhaara goaled for East to make it 46-49 with 7:06 to go.

MOUNT TAHOMA stopped the rush with the beginning of what was to be an intermittent stall the rest of the way, hunting for chances and picking the good ones.

The sophomore Malfait twined his only points of the fourth period as the clock showed 5:15.

Worst, a technical foul was registered against East coach Les Eathorne by one of the officials, Smith made good the extra free throw and Tahomans were back on top by six.

Holen sank a field goal at 3:36 and a free throw at 3:03 to make it 51-52.

Again the T-Birds stepped on out, two free throws by Smith at 2:55 and another by Dale Glass at 1:21 spreading to four.

Knights produced clutch gift toss heroics of their own. Guard Greg Morrison scored one at 1:12, two with just 35 seconds left.

EAST STOLE the ball and called time out a half minute from teh end, trailing 54-55. Eathorne wanted a final shot and a good one without time enough left for the Thunderbirds to respond.

It wasn't to be.

A foul had been called against a Thunderbird before the time out was declared.

Center Darryl Fry stepped to the charity strip and made both good on a one-an-one.

East was ahead for the first time since the first quarter, 56-55.

But there were 30 seconds still remaining. Mount Tahoma got to try for the last good shot too late for East to respond.

THE SENIOR Malfait picked the moment and scored.

The game was over.

Holen had countered 17 points for East, Fry 12.

It was the second straight non-league loss for East which host Lincoln, another Capital league rival like Mount Tahoma, on Friday. Knights begin their Olympic league and class AA tournament trail ventures Saturday night at Shelton.

B Team Game

East (57) - Winderl 5, Kennedy 7, Fisher 2, Johnston 15, Berteaux 2, Gibson 16, Slate 4, Strachan 6, Henry, Busby, Moe, Huguenin.

Mount Tahoma (44) - Taylor 2, Holcomb, 5, Uhl 8, Sparks 7, Endicott 10, McWhirter 6, Mowery 4, Gillis 2, Tytronen, Crogan, Burmaster, Baker.