Clarkston girls advance to State 2A title game

YAKIMA – Clarkston shot its way into the State 2A championship game in the SunDome on Friday, hitting 11 3-pointers and vanquishing Lynden 59-36.

The 3-pointer total was one short of the tournament single-game record held by Ephrata (2001) and East Valley (Yakima), which tied the mark against the Bantams in 2010.

The Bantams (24-1) will play East Valley at 5 tonight with a chance for the program’s first state title.

Clarkston broke open a close game in the second period, hitting four straight from beyond the stripe.

Senior Caleigh Hines had three long-range shots, two of which were from beyond the NBA 3-point stripe. When the barrage was finished, the Bantams had opened the lead from 15-13 to 27-14.

“We shoot a lot of 3s,” Clarkston coach Scott Thompson said. “Two years ago, we shot 600. Yesterday when we shot 11, I think that was an all-time low for us.”

A five-shot 3-point flurry spanning the end of the third period and beginning of the fourth blew the contest open. Oregon State-bound Jamie Weisner had three and Kellyn Zipse and KC McConnell had one each.

Weisner had another dazzling night, pouring in 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. She finished the contest with elbow and thigh injuries, but her relentless attitude seemed to carry over to her teammates.

“She is such a great teammate,” Thompson said. “This team has jelled so much because of her. They found out tonight, it’s really tough to guard Jamie Weisner.”

When they did, McConnell (11 points, nine rebounds) and Hines (nine points) made them pay.

Pullman 69, Anacortes 50: Corey Langerveld scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds and got help from Brady Barrett with 13 and Austin Drake with 12 as the Greyhounds advanced into the game for fourth and sixth places this morning.

Pullman will face 2011 champion Clover Park at 9:30.

Langerveld had 14 points in the opening half, 12 in the second quarter.

Pullman led by as much as 22 points in the second half.