LAKEWOOD - Absence made the heart grow fonder while also strengthening the resolve of those who remained in the Class 1A Seattle Christian girls basketball 36-24 defeat of Class 4A Tahoma Saturday at the first ever Northwest All-Stars Shootout held at Pierce County College.

Missing 5-11 prime time player and Oregon commit Lexi Petersen, who tore her ACL one week earlier against Issaquah, Seattle Christian came together strongly after struggling to a 17-12 halftime margin.

Like storming troopers, the Warriors from SeaTac staged a riveting 8-0 points blitz to open the second half and create the distance that sealed the deal.

Katie Collier's inside power basket started the SCS surge. Six-foot Warrior sophomore Alayna Gleason followed a Maddie Harris free throw with a layup to stretch the Seattle Christian lead to 22-12. As the Warrior defense stiffened, a Gleason charity toss and Carissa Doyle's field goal from outside completed this attack mode, powering SCS to a 25-12 difference with just more than four minutes remaining in the quarter. The lead would balloon to 16 points before the Warriors took a 29-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

"It wasn't perfect, but we're not trying to look pretty,' said Seattle Christian head coach Bob Kickner about his 5-1 squad. "The kids rose to the occasion. Each player was asked to share more in the load without Lexi. I'm pleased with the effort as we re-identify ourselves with what we have now. I'm just thrilled. the girls executed the game plan and adjusted. They're creating a great team concept."

Early in the game, the Warriors trailed 3-2 and appeared sluggish without Petersen's stellar all-around play. The ball movement against the Bear defense was slow.

"We haven't had to use the press break in three years due to Lexi's speed," added Kickner.

Suddenly, Harris torched a three-pointer and the SCS offense opened up. Gleason's assist to Collier for a conventional three-point play inside plus a Harris breakaway layup moved the Warriors into a 10-3 lead after one stanza. Collier's penetrating hoop inside kept the SCS motion going to open the second quarter, but Tahoma closed the gap by intermission -- despite shooting only 14.3 per cent from the field -- to set up the Warrior third quarter mastery. SCS had 19 first half turnovers before finishing with 33 compared to Tahoma's 21. Rebounds went hugely in the Warriors' corner, showing 18-7 first half and 45-33 for the game.

Collier, a 6-2 junior, accumulated 13 points and 10 rebounds despite playing only 19:08 minutes due to foul problems.

"We just had to pass the ball and get the ball more inside, she recalled. "Gleason was great and all tried to fill their roles more."

Gleason finished with seven points and eight rebounds for SCS.

Moving the ball inside more to Collier was the early strategy before outside shooting and ball movement flowed more freely.

"Without Lexi it's been a struggle," said Catie Shelton, who scored only four points but ran for eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. "We definitely tried to go inside to Katie in the post. Everyone stepped up and adjusted their game."