EVERETT — It started off resembeling a rec league game and ended up becoming a barnburner.
That can be expected when the match up features two teams that haven’t played a competitive game in more than two weeks.
Due to snow and the Christmas break, Kamiak and Cascade returned to the hardwood after a lengthy layoff, battling through a sloppy first-half before the Knights eventually pulled off a 54-52 victory over the Bruins in a non-conference game played at Reg Scodeller Gym at Cascade High School Tuesday night.
“It was a bit messy in the first half. We didn’t take care of the ball and Cascade cleaned up on the boards,” said Kamiak head coach Jody Schauer.
Cascade head coach Carlos Humphrey couldn’t agree more.
“The majority of games after the Christmas break are like this. We needed to regroup after not being in competition for a while,” Humphrey said.
Georgia McClaskey’s lone basket — a hook shot with a minute remaining in the game — proved to be the game winner and Kamiak (3-2 overall) overcame the loss of standout guard Kelsey Patrick to pull off the road victory.
“The girls battled through that adversity. They found other ways to make up for it,” Schauer said.
Patrick left the game midway through the third quarter after twisting her ankle on defense. The senior had 15 points up to that point including nine of Kamiak’s 16 second-quarter points.
Cascade had jumped out to a 26-14 second-quarter lead before Kamiak’s defense came to life. The Knights forced Cascade into 14 first-half turnovers and ended the half on a 12-0 run, knotting the score at 26.
“Our goal was to create offense with our defense,” Schauer said.
The Knights’s continued their strong defensive effort, holding Cascade to just two early third quarter field goals and not allowing the Bruins to put the ball in the basket for the final 6:27 of the quarter.
“We’re still young. The girls are trying to find themselves. They make young player mistakes,” Humphrey said of his team, which has only one senior on its roster.
The Bruins (2-3) were able to hang out long enough to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter.
After Kamiak went ahead 46-42 the Bruins chipped at the lead before eventually tying it at 50.
The Bruins’ lone senior, Katy Gross (12 points) had a chance to give Cascade the lead with 1:35 remaining but she missed both free throw attempts, setting up McClaskey’s game-winner.
“We’re still young. The girls are trying to find themselves. They make young player mistakes,” Humphrey said.
Bruins’ do-it-all guard/forward/center Danielle Love led Cascade with 13 points and 11 rebounds. She also added three blocked shots but was held to a frustrating 0-for-6 shooting in the third quarter.
Samantha Sovich scored 13 for Kamiak and Kariah Kussman and Lipscomb added 10 apiece.
Cascade last played on Dec. 12 when they dropped a Western Conference North division game to Oak Harbor 67-27. Kamiak last played on Dec. 13, defeating Lynnwood 67-53 in a Wesco South game.
At Reg Scodeller Gym
Kamiak10161216—54
Cascade1412818—52
Kamiak—Sovich 13, Simmons 4, Barnes, Patrick 15, Kussman 10, Mahjoubian, Johnson, Lipscomb 10, Larson, McClaskey 2. Cascade—De. Love 8, Bergman 9, Da. Love 13, Gross 12, Gordon, Nelson 10, Joyce. 3-point goals—Sovich 2, Patrick 3, Kussman 2, De. Love 1, Bergman 3, Da. Love 2. Records—Kamiak 3-2 overall. Cascade 2-3.
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