Defense carries U-Hi girls in return to state

The University girls basketball team is returning to state for the first time since Angie Bjorklund led the Titans to a runner-up finish at the State 4A tournament in 2006-07.

Five years later, the Titans head to Tacoma as a 3A entrant.

This time, U-Hi doesn’t have a player the caliber of Bjorklund. What the Titans do have, though, is an underclassman-laden team determined to find out where it belongs in the Elite Eight of the 3A field.

To that end, U-Hi (16-7) opens against Seattle Prep (21-6) in the late game at 9 Thursday.

When U-Hi has fared well this season a pair of 5-foot-11 juniors, Hallie Gennett and Kayleigh Valley, have carried the offensive load. Gennett averages 14 points per game and Valley 13.5. Both average a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game.

For the Titans to be successful at state, though, they’ll have to rely on defense. U-Hi didn’t finish tied for third in the Greater Spokane League based on offense. Defense carried the Titans, who allowed the second-fewest points per game (46.8).

“We don’t score a ton of points so every point to us is valuable,” U-Hi coach Mark Stinson said. “We don’t put a lot of pressure on ourselves on the offensive end. Any points we can get offensively is a bonus. We have better defensive players than offensive players.”

Gennett and Valley, who have been playing basketball together since fourth grade, hoped to lead the Titans to state last year, but U-Hi fell short.

“We were young last year, but I expected us to win more than we did,” Gennett said.

“We did decent, but we should have done more,” Valley said.

So the expectation was nothing less than a trip to state this year.

At the end of practice Monday, assistant coach Mark Kuipers reminded the Titans that they will have time to have fun at state, but the trip should be more business than pleasure.

“I knew we had the talent to get to state this year,” Gennett said. “We have to stay focused. Everyone has been telling us not to be just satisfied with going to state because we can do better than that.”

Gennett and Valley believe the team’s overall athleticism – the Titans feature several multiple-sport athletes – is a key reason to their success.

Valley and Gennett are quick to praise the two players who lead the defense. They are the team’s two seniors – Lexi Clark and Taylor Berdar, both standout soccer players.

Stinson agrees.

“Our seniors really hold things together,” Stinson said. “They do all the dirty work.”

Valley said she and Gennett will take over the leadership roles next year.

“We want to be able to help the kids below us get (to state) again,” Valley said.

They believe the GSL has prepared them for state. Five of U-Hi’s six losses were to 4A teams.

More than anything, the Titans are glad they’re not playing a GSL team this week.

“It’s such a competitive league,” Stinson said. “I’m really excited and the girls are excited to be playing somebody new. We’re battle-tested. It’s survival every night in the GSL.”

“Our main focus needs to be defense and playing as a team,” Valley said. “I know we have the potential to go far.”