Defense rules 2B girls

With the way defense decided the State 2B girls basketball tournament semifinals at the Arena on Friday night, it’s hard to imagine what might transpire tonight when the past two champions, La Salle and Colfax, square off.

La Salle, the 2008 champion, set the tone with a 45-27 win over Napavine and defending champ Colfax followed suit with a 42-33 win over Toutle Lake.

The Lightning held the Tigers to 30.6 percent shooting and forced 25 turnovers. Colfax held the Ducks to 29.3 percent shooting and forced 26 turnovers.

Still, both games were closer than the score indicated with La Salle shooting 26.4 percent and Colfax 22.2.

The Lightning (23-2) missed their first eight shots but still led 9-6 after one quarter because the Tigers (22-5) had nine turnovers. La Salle ended up 4 of 17.

The second quarter wasn’t any better with La Salle reaching halftime with an 18-12 lead despite shooting 8 of 32 because Napavine had 15 turnovers.

“I don’t know that I know a key to beating Napavine, but the key for us to be successful starts at the defensive end of the basketball floor,” La Salle coach Alyssa Goins said. “If we pressure the ball, create some turnovers, create some chaos, we’ll be successful.”

The Lightning had a quick surge to start the third quarter, opening a 28-14 lead, but went 9 minutes, 46 seconds without a field goal and still led by nine when Chelsea Adkins hit a short jumper from the baseline.

“They were packing it in, cutting off our penetration, making us shoot the jump shots,” La Salle leader Savannah Bonny said.

Bonny was the only player in double figures with 11 points.

“Turnovers are great, but they’re only one of the things we try to do with our defensive pressure,” Goins said. “Take time off the shot clock, get them out of rhythm and get them tired are some of the things that come out of it.”

The Bulldogs (25-3) never got untracked on offense, but fouls ultimately did in the Ducks (17-10).

Colfax made 13 of 19 free throws in the fourth quarter to salt away a game the Bulldogs trailed most of the way, including 25-22 entering the fourth quarter.

“We hate losing and we knew if we wanted to do it we were going to have to settle down,” senior Kayla Johnson said after pouring in 24 points, 10 in the fourth quarter. “Teams are prepared for us, they know what we’re going to do but that can’t stop us. We have to come out with a game plan and get after it.”

Colfax coach Corey Baerlocher said there was no special message.

“I didn’t tell them anything special. They don’t like to lose,” he said. “I tried to check my emotions. If I relax they know there is no reason panic. These girls have been in big games before.”

It didn’t help that Johnson, the reigning MVP, struggled to find her shot. Her 3 from the right corner – making her just 7 of 17 for the game – in the opening minute of the fourth quarter gave the Bulldogs a 26-25 lead. The Ducks came right back with a basket by Shelby Wason and two free throws from Sarah Andrews to regain the lead.

Colfax made 6 of 8 free throws, but Andrews, who led Toutle Lake with 10 points, tied it again with a 3. Freshman Ameli Bruya gave the Bulldogs the lead for good with a putback at 3:23. After an Andrews free throw, Rachel Johnson drove the lane for a critical basket, setting it up for the defense and free throws to settle it.