LC girls cruise to state spot

KENNEWICK – For the better part of the first half, Lewis and Clark was forced to rely on torrid offense rather than trademark pressure to keep Walla Walla at bay.

But over the final 4 minutes, the bread and butter clicked in and the combination stamped the Tigers’ ticket to their sixth straight State 4A girls basketball tournament trip.

LC (24-0) scored 14 points off of turnovers during an 18-0 run before half on the way to a 64-41 victory and berth in today’s 3 p.m. 4A East Regional championship against Pasco.

Both teams began with hot shooting, missing only one shot between them in the back-and-forth early going. LC finished the first quarter making 8 of 11 shots, including three 3-pointers in four attempts, to take a 21-11 lead early in the second quarter.

But the Tigers led by just five points before sophomore reserve guard Daisy Burke hit her second 3-pointer following a turnover. She then had a steal and assist for a basket 10 seconds later and Megan Bech scored LC’s fifth 3-pointer of the first half. The rout was on.

“It’s like that time of the year for state and you have to give it your all,” said Burke, who scored 13 points, her second consecutive double-figures performance in the playoffs.

She admitted that playing in the open gym like the Toyota Center created a depth-perception issue.

“You do what you have to do,” she said.

Meanwhile, LC’s defense, ignited as usual by the player in perpetual motion, Brittany Kennedy, took the Blue Devils (18-6) out of their comfort zone, leading to the decisive run.

The combination of 67 percent shooting and points off turnovers put the Tigers ahead 39-18 by halftime.

“It’s funny,” said LC coach Jim Redmon. “We come into the arena and some of the girls haven’t played in it before or much, and yeah, they did a great job shooting. We held them to 18 points at half and I was pleased with that, too.”

Walla Walla didn’t score a field goal for 9 minutes and LC led by as many as 28 points early in the fourth quarter before Redmon went to his subs with 5 minutes, 40 seconds remaining in the game to save his starters legs.

Jeneva Anderson also scored 13 points and Emily Travis had eight of her 10 in the second half. All 11 LC players scored.

“I’m happy for the seniors,” said Redmon of the latest trip to state. “And I’m happy for the kids who have kept the tradition going.”

Shadle Park 65, Central Valley 57: Lexie Pettersen scored 35 points, including 19 for 22 from the free-throw line, and had 18 rebounds as the Highlanders (19-5) eliminated the Bears (12-13). The Highlanders play Walla Walla at 11 a.m. today

The Highlanders led throughout, including by 13 points after three quarters, but were up by only five points with 36 seconds remaining.

Both teams shot well from the free-throw line, making more than 80 percent of their attempts, but Shadle made 26 of 32 to CV’s 16 of 19.

Justine Bowman, in her final game with the Bears, scored 20.

Mead 64, Richland 43: The Panthers (19-6) took early control of the basketball game and built on it throughout the half for a 14-point advantage. After matching the Bombers (11-14) in the third period, Mead used reserves liberally in bringing Richland’s season to an end.

The Panthers play at 11 a.m. against Moses Lake – which lost to Pasco 48-46 at the buzzer in overtime – for the right to play for a state berth.

Mead sophomore Alexis Olgard and Jazmine Redmon combined for 22 points, but the young team got contributions from nearly everybody in the win.

The winners of today’s 11 a.m. games will play for a state berth at 7 p.m.