YAKIMA — Even when pictures weren’t falling, the Columbia River women basketball crew can depend on its protection.
That protection is the explanation the Rapids are headed to the quarterfinals of the Class 2A state match. Columbia River clamped down when it mattered to beat Port Angeles 38-33 Wednesday on the Yakima Valley SunDome.
No. 7 seed Columbia River pressured 21 turnovers, holding No. 10 Port Angeles to 27% capturing from the sector. That protection was very important on an evening when the Rapids shot 12 for 51 (23.5%) from the sector.
“If we’re not sharp defensively, there’s nothing to fall back on if our offense isn’t there,” senior guard Marley Myers mentioned. “We really make it a point to always bring that intensity on defense.”
Myers made two 3-pointers within the fourth quarter, which have been the Rapids’ solely subject targets within the closing interval.
The primary snapped a 12-2 Port Angeles run that noticed the Roughriders pull inside 28-27 after three quarters. The second gave River a 36-32 lead with slightly below 3:00 to play.
When none of her teammates’ pictures have been falling, Myers stepped up.
“This season I haven’t been taking shots like that,” mentioned Myers. “If she wasn’t in my face I was going to shoot it tonight because I knew we needed it.”
Myers scored a team-high 11 factors whereas Gracie Glavin added 10 factors.
Peyton Dukes set the tone for the Rapids protection. She had three blocks and 5 of Columbia River’s 9 steals. None was greater than her takeaway as Port Angeles, trailing 36-33, tried to arrange a possible game-tying shot within the closing 23 seconds.
Dukes mentioned protection has been a precedence in current practices.
“I really think it’s how we prepared,” she mentioned. “The past two weeks we’ve been taking it to ourselves by pressuring our own offense. We’ve been doing that to prepare for the tough defense we’re going to face here.”
Columbia River (21-4) faces top-seeded Lynden (25-0) within the quarterfinals Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
In profitable Wednesday’s loser-out sport, the Rapids are within the quarterfinals for back-to-back years after not reaching that stage since 1992. That’s the final time Columbia River earned a state trophy, putting seventh.
“We did not want to go home,” Myers mentioned. “We packed to stay. We’re going to give it our all tomorrow.”
COLUMBIA RIVER 38, PORT ANGELES 33
PORT ANGELES (18-7) — Tenna Clark 6, Lindsay Smith 16, Mikkhia Stevens 0, Morgan Politika 0, Cayleigh Alward 0, Sariah Doherty 0, Becca Manson 0, Tatum Moses 0, Kenzie Moses 0, Lexis Smith 11. Totals 10 (1) 12-18 33
COLUMBIA RIVER (21-4) — Olivia Carroll 0, Marley Myers 11, Peyton Dukes 5, Camy Drake 2, Mikayla King 0, Braidee Goodwin 0, Kaya Mirtich 4, Avi Desjarlais 6, Gracie Glavin 10. Totals 12 (6) 8-11 38.
Port Angeles 7 7 13 6 — 33
Columbia River 13 11 4 10 — 38