MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The Lynnwood girls basketball team is motivated by doubters.
“What people might think of us, it doesn’t affect us. We just brush it aside,” Royals post Kelsey Rogers said after her team recorded a 60-48 win over Stanwood on Tuesday in a 3A District 1 semifinal game at Mountlake Terrace High School. “Honestly, it just makes us work harder. But ultimately, it doesn’t matter.”
It’s getting harder and harder to doubt the Royals’ potential for another state-tournament run, though. They’ve now won 14 straight games.
The key to the team’s success, according to coach Brent Hudson, has been its unselfishness.
“Everybody knows their roles on the team,” Rogers said. “That’s why we jell so well together.”
Lynnwood plays Snohomish on Friday in the district championship game at Jackson High School. The Royals have clinched a spot to the state regional round, although because their final RPI ranking of No. 13 is outside of the top eight in the state, they’ll have to win their regional game to move on to the state quarterfinals.
The Spartans kept things close in the first half, taking an 11-10 first-quarter lead and finishing the second quarter down 27-24. But the Royals outscored Stanwood 21-14 in the third quarter to open up a double-digit lead.
Stanwood didn’t get closer than eight points in the fourth quarter.
“People knew this was a big game, a good matchup,” Rogers said. “We were preparing with intensity because we knew they are a good team. In the first half we had too many turnovers, but in the second half we were more composed.”
Rogers scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the second half.
“She’s been so consistent all year,” Hudson said. “At the start of the year she was struggling with how she was being officiated and picking up fouls, but she learned to mentally move past that, and she’s stronger. No matter what happens she can take control of the situation and stay focused and make plays.”
Stanwood entered the contest on a six-game winning streak. The Spartans made some successful adjustments to their defense in the second half of the season, but they didn’t have many answers for the Royals on Tuesday.
“We didn’t have the power to go against (Rogers),” Stanwood coach Dennis Kloke said. “They were very efficient shooting, and they were able to drive from the perimeter. We couldn’t stop all of their options. They’re a tough matchup.”
Stanwood still has a chance to clinch a state regional berth. The Spartans take on the winner of Wednesday’s consolation contest between Marysville Getchell and Shorewood on Saturday at Jackson High School in a winner-to-state, loser-out matchup.
“We’re in a great spot,” Kloke said. “I’ll be interested to see how we rebound from this loss. After our first loss (of the season, to Shorewood on Jan. 11), we only had one day of practice before our next game (a loss to Lynnwood). This time we have a few days to mentally recover.”
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