LC girls surge into 4A finale
TACOMA – Jim Redmon isn’t a big birthday guy. “A birthday is just a birthday,” he said Friday.
It’s a good bet, however, he’ll remember his 46th.
His Tigers made sure of that, blasting Auburn Riverside in the second half to lift Lewis and Clark into its first State 4A girls championship game in his 10-year coaching tenure.
LC’s 54-37 victory was built on something old, something new and someone blue.
The old was the Tigers pressure man-to-man defense – and the girl Redmon calls Miss Consistency: Heather Bowman.
“We’ve always been about defense,” said Redmon, sporting a blue ribbon which read ‘Birthday Boy.’ “We teach it, we work on it and it pays off.”
In a stretch that lasted almost 12 minutes running from the first quarter to the third, the Ravens (22-6) scored five points – on two successful shots. They committed eight turnovers. They missed four consecutive free throws. And they went from leading by one to trailing by 14.
Though LC (25-4) then went 4 minutes without scoring.
In the stretch, the usually reliable Bowman missed six consecutive shots. She only missed four the rest of the night. Her line: 20 points, 16 rebounds, three assists.
Given the reprieve Auburn Riverside regrouped, pulled within four, stalled to fall behind by nine, then pulled within six with 5:11 left. The play that made it 39-33 came on a double whammy as Katelan Redmon picked up her fourth foul.
“I believe good players can play with four fouls,” the coach said. “We thought it was a critical time, we needed her scoring and rebounding and, with 5 minutes left, we had to leave her in.”
If you’re going to gamble, you might as well do it on your birthday and gamble on your niece.
It paid off. Brittany Kennedy calmly sank two free throws on the next possession and, after the last of the Ravens’ 12 turnovers, Redmon clinched it with a 3-pointer. It was her first of the tournament.
“I thought for sure he was taking me out,” the playing Redmon said. “When Hannah (Rothstrom) passed me the ball I thought ‘I’m shooting it.’ “
Right thought. The somewhat new 3-pointer came about because of two big offensive rebounds on the possession by someone blue, the Tigers’ senior center Rothstrom. After a non-productive first half (two points, three rebounds), she told herself to relax, because she had some help.
“To tell you the truth, I thought about my grandpa, who died last year about this time,” Rothstrom said, choking back tears. “He was a big part of my life. He was a basketball coach over here at Wilson, Stadium (high schools). I knew he was watching me tonight.”
“That’s what we’ve been missing all year,” Redmon said.
“When people double-team Heather, we’ve needed someone to step up. Hannah stepped up tonight and that was big. I think she had a double-double.”
Rothstrom was just short with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Now the Tigers will play at 9 tonight for the big-school basketball title for the first time since 1988, facing Prairie, a team they defeated by three in the second round last year.
“It’s the best present we could give Coach,” Bowman said.
The coach appreciated it – and the year.
“It’s just been a special ride,” Redmon said. “No matter what happens (tonight), it’s been special.”