BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer
PUYALLUP - When extreme pressure is continually applied, something eventually breaks.
On Tues., Feb. 6, the Seattle Christian girls basketball team used constant defensive attacks to finally break down well-schooled Cascade Christian High School in Puyallup for a 44-40 victory that clinched the Nisqually 1A No. 1 seed and a Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 6 p.m. date at West Central District III in Bremerton.
The host Cougars (5-3, 12-8 overall) took the No. 2 seed and will play a loser-out game in Bremerton on Feb. 10.
"I was waiting for the second half to use the press," said Warrior head coach Jasen Baskett, "We have a short bench and needed to conserve energy. It was a matter of getting through the first half."
After Cascade Christian used well disciplined half court offense and solid half court defense to lead 39-28 with 5 minutes and 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the flowing full court traps of Seattle Christian were completely unleashed.
Alex Ellis, who spent hours in the emergency room and extensive recovery time leading up to this game, penetrated to the hoop and drained the second of two free throw chances. Junior SC guard Olivia Clark quickly stole the ball and fired home a 3-pointer.
As the Warrior supporters were electrified by the action, Seri Anderson homed in on a 3 -ball to bring the Warriors within 39-35 with just more than five minutes to go.
A Cougar free throw temporarily stopped the Warrior rush, but Seattle Christian then took over the game until the end.
Madisen Fors set up on the baseline for a dish off to Anderson for a lay up.
An Anderson steal led to her own basket from beyond the 3-point arc as the Warriors were in a 40-all deadlock as 3:37 showed on the scoreboard clock.
"We were beating them with our press," Anderson said.
Neither team was able to score, although the Warriors had good looks, until freshman Emma Baskett stole the ball and later, instinctively shot in an open 3-ball as Seattle Christian led 43-40 with 1:23 left.
"I just caught and shot," she said. "I was confident."
From this point, it was a strategy of Cascade fouling to get to the penalty free throw situation during the time that the Warriors ran off clock time.
Seattle Christian faltered once down the stretch when Alex Tiefke pilfered the ball, but just missed a driving lay up with 43 seconds remaining.
Just half a second remained as Ellis downed the first of two charity tosses to ring down the curtain on a tense win.
"I thought our defensive pressure made the difference," said an exhausted Ellis.
For the game, Ellis fought for 16 points and seven rebounds.
During the game, Ellis reached 1,000 points for her career, as well.
Anderson started slowly, but kept firing away from 3-point land as well as driving inside to collect 14 points and nine rebounds.
Fors played just more than nine minutes to gain two assists, although she could have had more with better inside shooting from the cutters.
"I'm in there to hustle and make good passes," she said. "We just stepped it up, made some crazy steals and great shots."
CCHS controlled the tempo on both ends of the court, including the rebounds to lead 10-2 after one quarter.
Defensively, the zone kept SC from getting close to the basket and the Warriors settled for outside shots,
Offensively, the Cougars passed patiently and were able to set their feet for open spots as they built leads of up to 11 points three times, including the final 39-28 control before the SC defense flipped the momentum.
Olivia Clark finished with six points, six assists and three steals. Baskett posted six points as Anna Whitten scored two before having to sit out much of the game.
Julia Seibel injured her right ankle early in the first quarter and tried to play on it early on the second half before calling it quits on five caroms.
McKenzie Radcliffe and Shelaine Lorenz were effective when given time to line up shots for 13 points and 12 points, respectively. Lorenz also had 12 rebounds.
2018 League champion Seattle Christian (7-1 league , 16-2 overall) heads into district with a player roster of Ava Louie, Madison Fors, Jennifer Hoag, Emma Baskett, Seri Anderson, Alex Ellis, Olivia Clark, Anna Whitten and Julia Seibel.
Kara Kogle is the assistant coach. Naomi Williams is the manager.
