LC, U-Hi on track
TACOMA – Lewis and Clark and University, just like the last two years, are playing in today’s State 4A girls basketball semifinals. However, Mead won’t be joining them.
LC’s Tigers (24-3) on Thursday in the Tacoma Dome used a tremendous defensive first half and big game by Katelan Redmon in their 50-43 triumph over previously unbeaten Roosevelt.
They now jump from the frying pan into the fire. Up next today at 7 p.m. is impressive Kentwood (27-0) which used a late scoring barrage to rally past Mead 70-60.
U-Hi (25-2), again with Angie Bjorklund sitting for much of the game in foul trouble, used the long ball to dispatch outgunned Bothell 60-22, which scored just six second-half points.
The Titans earned a rematch with last year’s semifinalist foe Prairie (23-3) which whipped Snohomish, at 8:30.
LC 50, Roosevelt 43: It all depends upon your point of view.
Tigers coach Jim Redmon worried about sloppy turnovers and lack of composure late in the game that had his team hanging on after leading by as many as 15 points.
“Luckily, we got a big lead to get by,” he said.
Roosevelt counterpart Bill Resler saw the beauty in LC’s performance that produced a big enough lead early in the game that sent the Tigers to the state semifinals.
“Their traps, I thought, were exquisite,” he said. “They went at us and took us apart in the first half.”
After that, he said, it was two even teams in a great ballgame.
Both coaches were correct. In the first half LC’s speed thwarted the Roughriders’ transition game and trademark sticky defense fueled by Brittany Kennedy hurried them into turnovers and poor shots that became rebounds for the defense. The Tigers outrebounded the Roughriders 15-6 in the first half.
Five different players scored the Tigers’ 11 straight points for a 16-7 lead with 3 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Roosevelt was forced to play catch-up the rest of the way.
But careless turnovers by LC prevented a 32-20 halftime lead from being even greater. And in the final quarter, when the Tigers had upped their advantage to 44-29, turnovers played into Roosevelt’s hands. The Roughriders made five 3-pointers to keep fans and coach on the edge of their seats.
“No question I was nervous,” said Redmon. “That’s a dangerous team. There’s a reason they were undefeated.”
In the biggest game to date for the Tigers, their star players proved ready. Katelan Redmon, charged with defending 6-foot-3 Mackenzie Argens after spending a couple of previous games in foul trouble, was up to the task.
Argens scored seven points and had seven rebounds, none at the offensive end.
LC’s scoring leader got herself open for 11 of her team-high 15 points in the first half when the Tigers build the 12-point margin that would lead to victory.
“I would say it was pretty fun going against my future teammate,” she said of the 1-on-1 between a pair of University of Washington recruits. “(On offense) my teammates gave me good screens and I made some cuts.”
Ula Tauala had a strong offensive game helping keep LC ahead through three quarters. Lyndi Seidensticker made some big points to offset the 3-point barrage by Roosevelt that cut the lead to 49-43 with 16.5 seconds remaining. Each finished with 11 points each.
And of course, there was Kennedy, who led the team in rebounds and steals.
“Katelan played smart and solid. I thought she came out with a lot of poise” said her uncle. “There were a couple times when we messed up and Brittany came back and stole the ball. A lot of credit goes to her.”
U-Hi 60, Bothell 22: After jumping to a 5-0 lead, the Titans were tested by the Cougars (16-9). The game was tied with 2 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Then U-Hi started hitting from long range. Five different players combined on seven 3-pointers and a 32-16 halftime lead. Riki Schiermeister and Dara Zack had two each.
Zack’s second came on a 27-foot toss as time expired in the half. By intermission Zack had 12 points and nine rebounds. She and Bjorklund shared team honors with 14 points.
Bjorklund got back into the game in the third quarter and quickly scored nine points. But she also added her third and fourth fouls and left midway through the period.
The Titans have yet to play their “A” game in this tournament, causing coach Mark Stinson to shake his head a bit.
“I don’t know what game we have, but we have no flow,” said Stinson. “We’ll keep showing up and maybe something good will happen.”
Actually, he said his non-regulars did a “stellar job” during extensive playing time against Bothell. They allowed just three second-half baskets.
Besides keeping Bjorklund on the floor tonight against Prairie, U-Hi’s priority will be to try and find a way to contain standout junior guard Ashley Corral.
Kentwood 70, Mead 60: The Panthers (22-7) gave the Conquerors as good as they got through most of three quarters, becoming the first team this year to lead the unbeatens at half. But in the end there was simply too much Courtney Vandersloot.
The Gonzaga University-bound senior guard scored 35 points on a dazzling array of shots and assisted on a dozen more points. Scores came from long range on full-court dashes and drives through Panther defenders.
Mead led 13-6 early and by three points at half. It was 48-42 on an Alysha Green 3-pointer with 1:26 left in the third quarter. From there, Kentwood finished with a 28-10 run and Vandersloot scored half. She had 10 straight points to close out the third quarter and into the fourth.
Her team took a five-point lead, but the Panthers were within 55-53 with 6:05 to go in the game. The the game got away from them.
Mead coach Regan Drew said that it wasn’t just Vandersloot. Kentwood teammates Jessica Rodgers and Lindsey Moore also finished in double figures.
“My kids played their tails off so I’m disappointed,” she said. “We got a little on our heels and can’t do that with good teams like Kentwood. But I’m proud of how hard we played.”
Freshman Jazmine Redmon scored 18 points, divided evenly in each half. Alysha Green and Kelli Valentine scored 14 each and Valentine had 11 rebounds.
The Panthers play Roosevelt at 2 p.m. today.