Homecoming at Seattle Christian showcased an exciting Nisqually 1A girls basketball game that visiting Bellevue Christian won, 42-40, after 40 minutes of extreme effort from both teams.
"They just executed a little better than us," said Warrior head coach Dave Jansen. "The girls played hard from start to finish. We just couldn't execute when we had to and beat ourselves. The girls never gave up."
Trailing 41-40, Seattle Christian possessed three opportunities to execute for a tie or lead in the final 27.5 seconds.
After the visiting Vikings turned the ball over in their forecourt, the Warriors took over only to lose the ball on a player controlled foul call with 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Forced to foul, Seattle Christian received another chance after Bellevue Christian converted only the first chance of a one and one free throw opportunity.
Continuing to pound the offensive boards, the Warriors just missed on an offensive put back try as the buzzer sounded the end of the game.
First quarter action featured Seattle Christian rolling to six consecutive points to lead 6-2 before holding a 10-6 margin at the end of the quarter.
Aly Kaler extended this lead to 12-6 on a rebound basket in second quarter opening action before Bellevue Christian whirled back to tie the score at 14-14. Kaler's back court steal and drive for a bucket ahead of Alayna Gleason's cut to the hoop pushed the Warriors to an 18-14 halftime lead.
Seattle Christian's Warriors displayed aggressive and gutsy defense for the entire game, but Bellevue Christian's Vikings kept sailing back from deficits. In this case, BCS bulldozed its way back to lead 19-18 and 21-19 as the second half opened.
In a bump and run style of game, the teams continually pushed hard at each other.
Kayler became the conduit for Seattle Christian scoring while notching the next six points of the game mainly on medium range, corner jump shots.
With the chance to increase the differential between their opponents, the Warriors entered a scoring lull zone just past the mid point of the third quarter. A combination of steals and drives to the basket enabled the Vikings to lead 27-25 going into the fourth quarter.
Kayler pounded the offensive boards to tie the game at 27-27, but BCS used turnovers from SCS to lead 31-27. Molli Ronish swished a short range jump shot from the left wing to draw Seattle Christian within 31-29 with 4:35 showing on the scoreboard clock. Rachel Williams nailed a trey for the Vikings that was countered by a Kaler 3-pointer as the Warriors were within 34-32.
Bellevue Christian then stretched its lead to 37-32.
Up stepped Kaler on the draw to shoot home a 3-pointer that diminished the SCS deficit to 37-35 with 2:10 left.
With Seattle Christian down, 39-35, Gleason drained two free throws with 1:17 showing. Ali Vitalone's short jump hook matched the Gleason points and the Vikings were up 41-37.
Madelyne Weber later made the first of a one-and-one free throw situation, but Gleason rebounded the missed charity toss and put the ball in for a basket that eased the Warriors close at 41-40 with the final, frantic 27.5 seconds to go.
Kaler was a fixture in scoring for the Warriors, posting a huge 24 points on 9-for-19 field goal shooting plus the addition of five rebounds, five steals, and two blocked shots. Gleason scored 10 points with 10 rebounds. Mariah May stormed the boards for 11 rebounds.
Noelle Crosby scored 11 points for the Vikings with Rachel Williams adding nine points and 12 rebounds.
After a Saturday 45-36 win at Cedar Park Christian, Seattle Christian stood at 6-6 league and 7-9 overall.
Weber broke through for a game high 23 points and Gleason scored 12.
