The Mercer Island boys and girls basketball teams both went to out-of-state basketball tournaments over the holidays, with the girls team in Oregon and the boys in Arizona.

Girls: The girls basketball team split its four games at the Nike Interstate Shootout from Dec. 27-30 in Lake Oswego, Oregon. After opening the tournament with a 70-30 loss to the Barlow Bruins (Oregon) on Dec. 27, the Islanders beat the Jefferson Democrats (Oregon), 48-43, on Dec. 28. The Islanders lost their third game of the shootout with a 58-48 defeat to the West Albany Bulldogs (Oregon) on Dec. 29. Mercer Island finished with a narrow 45-43 win over the Ridgefield Spudders on Dec. 30.

Boys: The boys basketball team also split their holiday tournament games, going 2-2 at the VisitMesa Basketball Challenge from Dec. 26-30 in Mesa, Arizona. The Islanders opened the tournament with two wins, a 38-26 triumph over the Mountain View Toros (Arizona) and a 72-52 victory over the Pinnacle Pioneers (Arizona). In their victory over Pinnacle, junior guard Tyler Butson scored 26 points, including seven 3-pointers. The Islanders narrowly dropped their last two games, a 54-49 loss to the Paradise Honors Panthers (Arizona) and a 52-50 loss to the Corona del Sol Aztecs (Arizona). Butson was named to the all-tournament team.