By Gerardo Bolong

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TACOMA - Problematical shooting from the free throw line and the field teamed with turnovers to hold back the SPSL 2A Tyee girls basketball in a  52-33 loss to host PCL 3A Stadium in a non-league girls basketball game held Mon., Dec. 9.

Leading 28-27 with just more than two minutes left in the third quarter, the basics of basketball undid the Totems.

Two free throws by Magdalena Davis preceded three consecutive steals and layups by sophomore Tiger Lisa Scott to send Stadium ahead 35-28 after three quarters.

Eight consecutive Tiger points to open the fourth quarter ballooned the lead to 43-28 as Stadium surged out of range.

“Missing free throws and layups are hard things to overcome,” said Tyee Head coach Kody Dribnak. “We couldn’t put the ball in the hole. We’re looking to work out the kinks and rust.”

Despite turnovers in the first quarter, Tyee rebounded well to stay within 12-10 before Stadium closed the quarter with a 4-0 run.

After the home Tigers built the lead up to nine points twice in the second quarter, the Totems carved away a 21-12 deficit to trail only 21-18 behind the strong play of 32 and Kendall.

Scott angled home a three-pointer to send Stadium into the third quarter with a 24-18 margin.

The Totems fought furiously to gradually narrow the difference and finally grabbed a 28-27 lead following Sam Hailu’s rebound basket and Makin Yee’s three-point bomb.

Ironically, this led into the final game-changing plays that pushed Stadium to victory.

Scott poured in 22 points for Stadium. Davis added 11.

Kyndal Wiebe led Tyee with 10 points while Hailu added nine. Yee posted eight. Tida Sesay was strong on the boards for the Totems.

Despite the season opening loss, Dribnak looks forward to reaching the playoffs again.

There are solid returners from last season.

”This is my second season and they say it gets better,” concluded Dribnak.