King’s tops Murphy in 3OT
Published 10:42 pm Friday, January 28, 2011
SHORELINE — It took dozens of clutch plays and three overtimes, but the King’s Knights finally beat the state-ranked Archbishop Murphy Wildcats.
In the process, King’s ended its biggest rival’s conference winning streak at 58 games.
“That was a true barnburner,” said
King’s High School girls basketball coach Dan Taylor, whose Knights outlasted Archbishop Murphy 59-57 in triple overtime on Friday in a riveting Cascade Conference game. Scrounging up just enough energy to prevail, Class 1A King’s outscored 2A Murphy 9-7 in the third 4-minute OT period.
Reserve guard/forward Andrea Berendsen’s 3-point shot from the right corner with 40 seconds to go made it 58-57 and turned out to be the game-winner. It was the senior’s only basket of the night.
With 4.9 seconds remaining, King’s reserve forward Ashley Adams made 1 of 2 foul shots and gave King’s a two-point lead. Murphy inbounded and forward Anna Maher heaved a 35-foot 3-point attempt that smacked off the backboard.
Game over.
King’s fans — most of them wearing pink T-shirts to promote cancer awareness on Pink Night — roared with satisfaction as King’s players, who wore special pink-and-white uniforms and played with a pink ball, celebrated near midcourt.
“It was more than a game for us; it was becoming a team. The last couple of games we haven’t been playing that well — as well as we know we can play. Tonight, it just all came together,” said Joclyn Kirton, King’s powerful post who scored 20 points and was an effective rebounder until she fouled out midway through the first OT.
With Kirton stuck on the bench, King’s found a way to win. The Knights improved to 10-1 in Cascade Conference action and are tied for first place with Murphy, ranked No. 6 in the Tacoma News Tribune state rankings.
Junior Karlie Storkson, a versatile guard/forward, scored 13 points for King’s, including a 3-pointer from the right wing in the first minute of triple overtime. It gave King’s a 53-52 lead and accounted for one of six lead changes in the last OT period.
King’s built leads of 14-9 after one quarter and 27-23 by halftime, and the Knights had several chances to put Murphy away late in regulation. But after losing against the Wildcats, 44-35, when the teams played on Jan. 7 in Everett, King’s played much better in the rematch and earned an encouraging victory.
“I know this is a big confidence boost for the (1A) playoffs,” coach Taylor said. “Archbishop is probably one of the best team’s we’re going to play all season.”
Sophomore post Beth Carlson scored 21 points (including 10 after the fourth quarter) and grabbed 21 rebounds for Murphy, which had already clinched the conference’s No. 1 seed for the upcoming 2A District 1 tournament. The Wildcats’ impressive 58-game league win streak is over and so is their 12-game season win streak, but Murphy coach John Barhanovich said the loss is great preparation for the playoffs.
Barhanovich’s daughter, Anna Barhanovich, helped King’s beat her dad’s team. Anna, a junior guard, made a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and later hustled to tap a loose ball that set up Storkson’s 3 in triple OT.
“She has the bragging rights tonight,” John Barhanovich said of his victorious daughter.
Both teams finish conference play next week. Murphy plays Lakewood on Monday, South Whidbey on Wednesday and Coupeville on Friday. King’s, which had already clinched the league’s No. 1 seed for 1A district, plays South Whidbey on Monday, Granite Falls on Wednesday and Sultan on Friday.
Asked what King’s did differently against his team in the King’s-Murphy rematch, Barhanovich said: “They did a much better job offensively this game. We really couldn’t find an answer defensively.”
In particular, Kirton was effective. She had her way in the paint in the first half, scoring 13 points. But when Kirton fouled out in the first OT with the scored tied 50-50, her pals repeatedly rose to the challenge.
“It was really hard sitting out and fouling out,” said Kirton, “but some of our players really stepped it up the last overtime and it was awesome to see that.”
“Our girls had to dig deep,” said Taylor, who used a 10-player rotation.
Senior guard Kelsey Rasmussen scored 16 points (three 3-pointers) for Murphy. Her final 3 of the night was a bank shot from the middle that the Wildcats their final lead of the game, 57-55.
At King’s H.S.
Archbishop Murphy 9 14 8 9 9 1 7 — 57
King’s 14 13 6 7 9 1 9 — 0
Archbishop Murphy—Carlson 21, Ericksen 6, Begert 3, Vincent 3, Rasmussen 16, Maher 8, Meehan, Carroll, Rebich. King’s—McCormick 6, Rasmussen 1, Storkson 13, Adams 5, Kirton 20, Berendsen 3, Adams, Barhanovich 3, Fairley 8, Kieling. 3-point goals—Rasmussen 3, Vincent 1, Storkson 1, Berendsen 1. Records—Archbishop Murphy 10-1 in conference, 13-3 overall. King’s 10-1, 13-4.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam and follow Cane on Twitter at MikeCaneHerald.
