By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Close to start, not even close to finish -- that summarizes the Shorewood Christian Lady Lions' 32-18 victory over the Three Rivers Christian Eagles at Chinook Middle School in Sea Tac on Friday.

The Lions, a small 2B private school in White Center off Roxbury, play their next game against visiting Christian Faith Center on Jan. 5, with the girls at 5:30 p.m. and boys at 7 p.m.

"We are just getting into the meat of our the season," said Lions coach Joe Turner.

Against the Eagles, the Lions made it another game like the first one they played earlier in the season against this same foe, a 35-26 win that was improved upon.

"It was a good game to come back to from the break," said Abby Turner, one of two seniors on the team.
The first quarter played out competitively enough, as the Lions and Eagles were tied, 4-4, before three straight points for the Lions gave them a 7-4 lead after one.

In the second quarter, the Lions went up to as much as a 15-6 lead on freshman Shelane Lorenz' putback basket off a missed shot. Then the Eagles scored a basket and went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to make it a 15-9 score. But the Lions' speedy Erin Jones, the other senior, besides Turner, on the team, flew into the lane for a layup to end the second quarter with her team up, 17-11.

"We definitely improved the second time around," said Jones.

The Lions, who are 2-1 on the season with league games still to come, just continued in the third quarter to extend their lead more and more, going up by as much as 26-13 on freshman Maddy Bir's second straight basket from 20 feet out on the left side of the court.

The Lions ended the third quarter ahead, 27-17.

And the Lions' point guard, Rosie Young, is just an eighth grader but, according to league rules, that grade can play on the high school varsity basketball team. And Young can really play, as she led all scorers with 15 points. In addition, she used a nice crossover dribble during the game, a few times, to change direction with the ball before feeding to a teammate, like Lorenz in the paint and like MIstana Mengesha, a sophomore, to shoot a short jump shot.

"It's fun going to a small Christian school, classes are smaller, you can learn more," said Young, who is an AAU quality player on the Seattle Pride.

And Young's learned to lead a team well, and without nervousness as she didn't turn the ball over too often in this game.
The fourth quarter changed nothing. The Lions stayed ahead by a double digit lead as Young hit the final bucket of the game with 2:00 on the scoreboard clock, a long jumper showing her skills from the outside as well as inside because she scored on drives to the bucket 3-4 times in this game as well.

"She is, definitely, going to be killer her senior year," said Jones of Young. "Watch out for Rosie Young."
This team, with players from West Seattle, Burien, White Center, and, outlying areas, even has one player from Germany, Jana Elsterkemp, who was injured for this game but should be back in the lineup shortly.
"I've never played basketball because it's new," said Elsterkemp. "I got new friends. And, I think, I'm improving."

Jones, listening, said, "She's improving. She's real athletic. She's tough."

Elsterkemp is playing basketball and living with the Turners on this exchange. It's been a great time for her.

"I came to learn English," said Elsterkemp, in a soft accent. "And to make new friends far away. I wanted a family out here."

And that she got. These girls are all family and following Coach Turner's way for knitting them together, although most of the players have not played with each other before.

"All new players together," said Jones. "We all have words that we use."

"We don't have team goals," said Abby Turner. "But, as a team, we have one word individually for each player."

And, the words are?

"Jana's is 'friends,' Erin's is 'family,' mine is 'fun,' and, some other words players have are 'helpful,' and, 'chemistry," said Turner.

And, what about Coach Turner? How does he play into all this young team, learning each game to be more and more together, as a team, as a family, from far and near?

"He knows what he wants from each of us," said Jones. "He really brings us together as a team, as a family, pushing us to our limits."

To Elsterkemp, coach Turner is not just all those things just mentioned but more, as Jones explained.
"He's like her dad," said Jones.

And, why is that?

"She lives with us," said Abby Turner, Joe's daughter.

And, what is your 'dad,' Turner like for you, Jana?

"He's encouraging," said Elsterkemp. "He's great."