MONROE — The Oak Harbor girls basketball team wasn’t going to let a couple bumps in the road keep it from clinching a playoff spot.
The Wildcats battled back from numerous deficits to grab a 56-49 Western Conference North Division win over Monroe and the No. 4 seed to the playoffs with a feisty performance Tuesday night at Monroe High School.
Monroe, inspired by an emotional senior night ceremony, blasted out of the gate with a 7-0 run — one of a couple large runs the Bearcats would assemble on the night. Monroe went on runs of 7-0 and 15-0 en route to a 26-19 halftime lead.
Oak Harbor, trailing by as many as 13 points in the second quarter, weathered the offensive storm and a couple untimely fouls by junior guard Jessica Denmon with the help of 6-foot-2 senior center Jennifer Jansen.
Jansen, who scored 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Wildcats’ last outing, used her height advantage down low to rack up 13 first-half points and keep Oak Harbor within striking distance.
“Jansen carried us in the first half,” said Oak Harbor head coach Brett McLeod. “She really kept us in the game.”
Denmon, most often the Wildcats’ leading scorer, was kept quiet by fouls in the first half. She picked up her third foul with 3:07 remaining in the second quarter and finished the half with just two points.
But McLeod opted to stay with Denmon for the rest of the game and the move paid off. Denmon scored eight points in a big third quarter for Oak Harbor and the guard, even after picking up her fourth foul with 7:34 left in the game, stayed focused and scored the game’s final six points to seal the win.
“She’s a pretty smart player,” McLeod said of Denmon. “She’s been in that position before.”
Denmon added that her fouls “inspired me to work harder.”
“I tried to keep my hands in check,” Denmon said.
McLeod said the choice to put Denmon back in the game less than two minutes after picking up her fourth foul and with Oak Harbor down 43-42 was a risky decision.
“When it (the decision) works out, it feels good.” McLeod said.
McLeod thought his team responded with good intensity in the second half, saying the difference was an increased energy level thanks to the playoff-like atmosphere.
Denmon finished the game with 16 points and Jansen added a game-high 21, most of which came in the key.
Oak Harbor secured a district playoff berth for the third-straight year, but Monroe isn’t out of it yet. The Bearcats still have a chance at a district spot — if the team can clinch the No. 5 spot, it will go to a play-in game versus the South No. 4 seed.
Senior Emily Drivstuen scored 14 points for the Bearcats, while Sammi Clark added 14 and sophomore guard Suzanna Ohlsen scored 11.
Clark scored six of her points during Monroe’s 15-0 run in the second quarter.
“We’re excited to be in the playoffs,” McLeod said. “As a goal at the beginning of the season, it feels good to reach it.”
At Monroe H.S.
Oak Harbor1182116—56
Monroe1115149—49
Oak Harbor—Tubo 2, Mowbray 10, Henricksen 3, Denmon 16, Abadesco 2, Fisken 2, Jansen 21. Monroe—Ohlsen 11, Drawsky 4, Smith 2, Clark 14, Murphy 4, Drivstuen 14, Ojalehto 0. 3-pointers—Drivstuen 2, Ohlsen 1, Denmon 1. Records—Oak Harbor 10-5 league, 13-6 overall. Monroe 7-8, 10-9.
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