Lynnwood falls one point short against top-seeded Braves

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 2, 2017

TACOMA — After games, the Lynnwood girls basketball team’s players usually walk into the bleachers to mingle with family and friends for a few minutes.

After the Royals’ 58-57 loss to Bishop Blanchet on Thursday in a 3A Hardwood Classic quarterfinal contest, they decided that they wanted to head straight to their locker room.

They felt like they needed some time to digest the loss and its implications. Their 17-game win streak was over. So were their state-championship dreams.

“They wanted to gain some composure and soak in what happened,” Lynnwood coach Brent Hudson said. “They were clearly disappointed. The season won’t end the way they hoped it would end. I told them to take as much time in the locker room as they wanted, but don’t walk out until they leave this loss behind them. Heads started to lift, and eyes began to clear.”

Hudson said he wants his team to feel proud of its effort against the top-seeded Braves. The Royals fell behind by 10 points in the fourth quarter, only to rally and get within one point with less than a minute remaining.

Lynnwood (21-5) had an opportunity to score a go-ahead basket in the waning seconds, but Bishop Blanchet (24-1) forced a turnover to hold on for the victory.

“They’re fighters. They didn’t give up,” Hudson said of his players. “They could’ve rolled over, but they battled back.”

Before Thursday, the Royals’ last loss came on Dec. 23 to Class 4A Hardwood Classic qualifier Moses Lake. Their winning streak took them through an undefeated Wesco 3A slate, a 3A District 1 championship and a state regional win over Mount Spokane to qualify for the Hardwood Classic for the fourth straight season.

“Our motto all season has been ‘together we can,’ ” Hudson said. “It’s easy to say that when we’re winning. Now we have an opportunity to rally around each other (after a loss). There’s lots of chances to point fingers at each other, but this is a great opportunity for them to say, ‘OK, that’s not how we wanted it to go’ and hit the reset button.”

Lynnwood held a lead for most of the first three quarters of Thursday’s game, but the Braves went on a 14-4 run at the start of the fourth quarter to take a 58-48 lead with 2 minutes, 49 seconds left.

“Lynnwood put up a good fight. They’re a good team,” said Bishop Blanchet forward Jadyn Bush, who scored 22 points. “We just had to keep our composure down the stretch and do what we talked about — be in the right spot at the right time.”

“We stayed poised,” Braves coach Brett Hecko said. “We’ve had close games before. It’s been a grind ever since the Metro playoffs. We’re battle-tested. We knew Lynnwood would come at us with all of their pressure. Kelsey Rogers is a load to handle in the post, and Kaprice Boston hit some big shots.”

Boston is the Royals’ leading scorer, but she often looks just as comfortable in a distributor role. Against Bishop Blanchet, however, Boston looked like a true go-to player, scoring 25 points.

“She had some good matchups,” Hudson said. “Her athleticism allowed her to create shots for herself, and we tried to find her in transition.”

Rogers added 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Lynnwood plays Wesco 3A rival Stanwood in a loser-out game at 9 a.m. Friday. The Royals defeated the Spartans during the regular season and again in a 3A District 1 tournament game.

“I think Stanwood thinks they can beat us,” Hudson said. “They’ve been close to us. They’re physical, they’ve got shooters, they do a lot of things well. They’re not fun to face.”