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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bantams win physical game against Wapato

Steve Christilaw Correspondent

Clarkston will have a few bruises when it arrives in Yakima for the State 2A girls basketball tournament quarterfinals. But the Bantams will be there none the less.

The Great Northern League champions dispatched Wapato in a 2A regional finale on Saturday, 68-53, on Eastern Washington University’s Reese Court.

The Bantams dominated the boards in stopping a quick, physical Wapato team. Clarkston limited the Wolves to one offensive rebound in the first half and had a 30-11 total rebound advantage in the first half and finished with a margin of 49.

“We knew they were going to be really quick on offense so we just tried to pack it in defensively,” leading scorer Jamie Weisner said. “I was getting pretty frustrated offensively with what they were doing to me so I concentrated on getting the rebound and heading up the floor.”

Weisner had more rebounds than points well into the third quarter, but finished with 24 points and 16 boards – both game highs.

Knocked down frequently and knocked around constantly, Weisner kept her poise and exacted revenge from the free-throw line, where the senior was a perfect 10 for 10.

After the Wolves cut the Clarkston lead to seven points, Weisner took over.

With 2:40 remaining in the game, the GNL MVP drove to the basket, drew the foul and hit a pair of free throws to put Clarkston up 58-49. With 2:19 remaining, she drove again, this time converting a three-point play and it was 61-49.

With 2:09 left she blocked a Wapato shot in the paint and streaked back up court, drew the foul and converted both free throws for a 63-49 lead.

And with 1:42 left she hauled in a home-run pass from senior guard K.C. McConnell on the dead run, powered to the basket and completed her second three-point play in under a minute.

“Most of that was just desire,” she explained. “Our goal is to get to state and we did what we had to do.”

Clarkston coach Scott Thompson was pleased with the win, but lamented the loser-out nature of these winner-to-state, loser-out games.

“I have to give Wapato all the credit in the world,” Clarkston coach Scott Thompson said. “They’re a great team and it’s shame they have to go home with just three (now four) losses – and all three to East Valley-Yakima.

Higheagle finished with 18 points for Clarkston.

East Valley-Yakima won the other regional game played at Cheney HS, defeating Ephrata 49-32.