Article Courtesy of Gerardo Bolong

PUYALLUP - Defining defense and a cast of game changers combined as they led the Seattle Christian Warriors girls basketball team to an essential 44-40 Nisqually 1A girls basketball win at Cascade Christian High School on Fri., Jan. 29.

Benefits of the win include inside track on second place at 4-2 and a 9-4 overall record with two regular season games to go, including a Tuesday game at Charles Wright (3-2, 10-4) and a Friday match up against league leader Bellevue Christian (5-0,15-2). The No. 2 seed to West Central District avoids a play-in game and will get to host the first round of WCD.

"I thought that all seven that played did a great job," said Warrior head coach Dave Jansen. "We needed this game and they all stepped up."

The final countdown to conquest began in the fourth quarter with Cascade Christian leading 32-29 with just more than five minutes left.

Anna Whitten made the second of two free throws before freshman Serianna Anderson took center stage for Seattle Christian on seven consecutive points.

Following two free throws made, the confident athlete swished home a straight on basket beyond the arc just ahead of letting fly for another titanic trey and a 37-32 clearing midway through the final action.

Anderson's performance of was even more meaningful in light of having strep throat and having to sit out a quarter and half following halftime just to get her body temperature into an appropriate level to play.

"When I make my first shot, I can really feel it," she said about her 3-pointers that helped her each seven game points. When I release the ball I can tell if it's a good shot."

Reappearing on the scene at crunch time, freshman Alex Ellis, strongly supported by her teammates, created a final lasting impression for this encounter.

After Seattle Christian was unable to capitalize on free throw opportunities, two CCHS free throws pared the Warrior differential to two points, 37-34, SC committed a turnover, but six-foot freshman Juia Seibel hauled in a huge rebound for the Warriors after a missed CCHS shot.

Seattle Christian returned the favor by missing its shot on a possession before Makenzie May stole the ball back, leading to an Ellis driving lay up to extend the margin to 39-34.

A Cougar 3-pointer was countered by a pair of Ellis free throws and the Warriors were up 41-37 at the 45 second stage. Then, Ellis rebounded a missed Cougar shot before being fouled and converting both ends of a double bonus free throw situation with 42 seconds on the countdown.

Twenty-two seconds later, Allison Downs banked home a trey to draw the pesky Cougars within 43-40. Ellis finally launched the blast off to victory by converting the second of two charity tosses with 15.2 seconds remaining.

"I've been having trouble with my 3-point shot," said Ellis, who finished with 14 points, eight assists and three steals. "This time, I concentrated on setting screens and helping with the rebounding. We started out slowly, but didn't get down (on ourselves) and we finally started to click."

Opening action was a true struggle. Cascade Christian emerged from the turnover plagued and cold shooting first quarter with an 11-8 lead.

Turnovers and missed shots on good looks continued for the Warriors, leading to deficits of 17-8 and 19-10.

Defense and outside shooting delivered a 9-0 Warrior surge ahead of a 21-19 halftime edge for CCHS.

Crossing half court turned into a battle zone for Cascade Christian ball handlers.

Assistant coach Casey Ribera had been working hard with SC defensive schemes and it really showed whenever the front three defenders in the zone entangled opponents in many snares.

Behind excellent jobs by Ellis, Naomi Knipp and Whitten the Warriors returned to the lead. Whitten's offensive put back basket enable SC to lead 27-23 with 5:48 remaining in the third stanza.

Feisty Cascade Christian fired back to tie the game at 27-all and eventually edged into a 30-29 advantage after three quarters leading into the fourth quarter furor in front of a strong Seattle Christian student body support. SC played without Abby Louie, who was on crutches after an injury in Thursday practice. Lexi Bates was still out with a sprained wrist, but will return to action on Tuesday.

Playing so often without all hands on deck has been beneficial in the development and use of reserve players.

"We no longer have bench players, but game changers," concluded Jansen.

One of those game changers was sophomore Whitten, who nailed down shots at key moments on the way to seven points and six rebounds.

"It feels great to be going into the game," she said. "Helping the team just makes it greater."

Knipp finished with 12 total points and six rebounds. Hustling Makenzie May grabbed six rebounds.

Madisen Fors put in valuable minutes of court time.

Hailey Brander heated up the court for 13 points and 11 rebounds for Cascade Christian. Teammate Kiriana Shelton added 11 points.