MOUNT VERNON — Many basketball players have pre-game rituals they carry out before big games.

In the future, Squalicum guard Derek Dickerson might want to consider minor surgery.

Three days after having his appendix removed, Dickerson hit eight 3-pointers on his way to a blistering 32 points as the Storm defeated Burlington-Edison 92-69 for the Northwest 2A District Tournament championship.

Squalicum coach Dave Dickson said Dickerson’s doctor cleared him to play.

“I was a little skeptical until he hit his sixth or seventh three,” Dickson joked. “Then I figured he was OK.”

Squalicum had a scorching night in general, shooting 30-of-57 from the field and 16-of-32 from the 3-point line and getting six long-range shots from Caleb Thompson, who was the Storm’s second-leading scorer with 20 points.

Storm players hit shots from virtually every angle and distance, including a 3-pointer that Dickerson improbably banked in from the right corner.

“We played every defense we had and it didn’t matter what we did. They hit everything,” Burlington-Edison coach Rick Skeen said. “I think they would have won the 4A state title tonight, and that’s not a joke.”

Keith Stackhouse scored 16 points, Michael Greene had 14 points, and point guard Patrick Voeut dished out 13 assists. Stackhouse was playing in his third game back from injury.

“We shot the ball extremely well and I thought we took good care of it,” Dickson said.

Both teams had already clinched a berth to the Class 2A state tournament next week in Yakima, where Squalicum will be gunning for its second straight state title.

In their regular-season matchup, Thompson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Storm the 66-64 victory. 

Colin Stewart scored 14 points for Burlington-Edison, (19-4). Jordan Garcia added 12 points, Joel Conijn had 11 points and Evan Coulter had 10 points.

Garcia, a junior guard, hit two 3-pointers.

Coulter’s total moved him into ninth place on the county’s all-time scoring list. His 1,356 points moves him ahead of former Mount Vernon standout Mark Hendrickson (1,351) and just behind Mount Vernon Christian’s Garritt Kuipers (1,357).

Skeen said he was proud of the squad’s effort.

“They did a good job offensively, they played hard and they contested every shot,” he said. “I’m disappointed for them, but not in them.”

Both teams will learn their first-round opponent for the state tournament today. The tournament begins Wednesday at the SunDome.

Lynden took third place in the district tournament with a 64-45 win over Mount Baker.

• Trevor Pyle can be reached at 360-416-2156 or by e-mail at .

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