State title eludes Panthers

TACOMA – The No. 1-ranked Auburn Riverside girls basketball team had to go to overtime before it could preserve its perfect season.

The Ravens built a six-point lead that the Mead Panthers couldn’t overcome as Auburn Riverside prevailed 56-52 in the State 4A championship game Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

Kat Cooper scored for Auburn Riverside (29-0) to open overtime.

Jazmine Redmon drove the lane, but her shot fell short. Moments later, Redmon fouled out and Mercedes Wetmore made two free throws to put AR ahead 53-49.

A driving acrobatic shot by Wetmore with 1:35 remaining put the Ravens ahead 55-49.

Late in the fourth quarter with AR clinging to a 49-47 lead, Redmon tried to steal an inbounds pass but was called for a foul. Wetmore missed the first shot of the bonus. Teammate Jalea Crump got the rebound but was called for traveling as she fell to the court.

Redmon dribbled quickly into front court and as she reached the key she dished to Kalee Junkermier on the baseline. Junkermier made a 12-footer with 11 seconds to go to tie it at 49.

The Ravens’ Kathleen Cooper’s 16-footer didn’t fall as the clock ran out.

With the shot clock at 6 seconds, Wetmore lost control of the ball but was fouled trying to retrieve it. She made both shots to extend the Ravens’ lead to 49-45 with :33 remaining.

Junkermier hustled after a loose ball near midcourt and was fouled, sending her to the foul line for a 1-and-1 situation. She made both shots to pull the Panthers within 47-45 with 59 seconds to go. The Ravens trailed 39-35 early in the fourth quarter, but the momentum was about to switch their way. AR scored three straight baskets, capped by a three-point play by Camp, for a 42-39 lead.

A free throw by Camp and a driving basket by Wetmore finished a 10-0 run that put the Ravens ahead 45-39 with 4:15 remaining.

Mead (24-6) built its biggest lead in the third quarter at 33-26 when Junkermier took a long pass in transition from Jazmine Redmon, scoring a layup at the 4:34 mark.

The shooting was atrocious in the first quarter. Mead managed to build a 7-3 lead by the end of the quarter without the benefit of a basket. The Panthers were 0 for 14 from the field, but 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. The Ravens made 1 of 12 shots from the field.

For the first half, Mead made 4 of 27 (14 percent). Auburn Riverside doubled up the Panthers, making 9 of 29 (31 percent.)

Mead missed its first 17 shots before Jazmine Redmon made a driving basket with 5 minutes, 41 seconds left in the second quarter.

Still, Mead managed to take a 23-22 lead into halftime when Redmon made a 3-pointer with 9 seconds to go.

What kept the Panthers in the game in the first half were free throws – a result of the Panthers aggressively attacking the basket, even if they couldn’t make many shots elsewhere. Mead made 13 of 15 foul shots.

AR used a 5-0 spurt to take its biggest lead at 22-18 with 58 seconds to go before intermission. Mead countered with a 5-0 surge to end the half.

Junkermier led Mead with 19 points. Redmon added 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Cooper led the Ravens with 20 points and Wetmore had 17.

Wetmore were named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Others named to the team were Redmon, teammate Taylor Ingebritsen, Jordan Loera (Moses Lake), Kat Cooper (AR), Mikaela Rivard (Chiawana), Sarah Hartwell (Bellarmine Prep), Kylie Huerta (Kentwood), Shaunice Robinson (Garfield) and Liz Mills (Kentwood).