PUYALLUP - On senior night blackout for Cascade Christian, the Warriors used tough defense and patient offense to find the light and overcome the league unbeaten Cougars, 41-40, on Friday, Feb. 3, forcing a 1A Nisqually League girls basketball co-championship.
Both teams stand at 10-1 in the league and will engage in a playoff for the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to playoff competition at Cascade Christian on Thursday, Feb. 9, in Puyallup. Seattle Christian's overall record is 12-7 while CCHS is 16-2.
"We're still continuing to get to know each other since the snow lost us some practice," said Warrior head coach Dave Jansen. "We tried to use more clock on offense. we were able to pass the ball around off the high post and find open players."
Alayna Gleason's breakaway lay up off an outlet pass from Katie Collier with 16.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Warriors a 41-38 margin in the back-and-forth stretch run of the game. CCHS countered with a basket.
Gleason had an opportunity to clinch the SCS win, but missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation with 1.6 seconds left in regulation. Cascade Christian inbounded from behind the end line in back court with 1.2 left, but only thad time to fling up a weak, desperation throw at the end.
"My teammates' support helped me because I knew they would pick it up," said Gleason, who was magnificent with 13 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, three assists and three steals. "After I missed that last free throw I thought 'Oh, my' but you have to keep going."
Being in that position was remarkable in itself for SCS because Katie Collier drew her fourth foul with 4:44 left in the third quarter with CCHS in the midst of a comeback that had already carved away a 24-15 Warrior lead to 24-18.
Without Collier, the Cougars closed in even more to 24-22 before Gleason notched a basket from the wing. Kady Colton countered with a three-pointer get the Cougars within 26-25, but Aly Kaler's rebound basket and Catie Shelton's putback stretched the margin to 30-25 before a quarter closing hoop by Cascade brought the score to 30-27 going into a fiery fourth quarter in front of a jam packed gym full of Seattle Christian and Cascade Christian enthusiasts.
Playing with four fouls, Collier was able to return and survive the entire fourth quarter while contributing four free throws and key ball handling plus a defensive presence.
Three ties, the last at 38-38, occurred before a Gleason free throw set up the rebound and breakaway bucket.
"I was frustrated after the fourth foul," said Collier. "I had to mentally focus and on defense hold my hands straight up."
Collier finished with 10 points eight rebounds, four blocks and three assists.
With the high post strategy and tight defense in smooth flow, SCS emerged from the first quarter with a 12-7 lead. The Warriors built a 16-7 second quarter advantage ahead of a Cougar charge that narrowed the score to 16-12.
Kaler's two free throws touched off a 6-1 Seattle Christian charge to halftime that was capped by Shelton's steal and score for a 22-13 lead.
With every point being critical, 10 points from Kaler, six points from Shelton and two points from Jessica Johnson were all needed to complete the winning total.
Chloe Read scored a game high 15 points for Cascade Christian.
