SEATTLE — Hanna Fjortoft isn’t the only Meadowdale Maverick playing through pain this week.
Coming off the bench each day, Fjortoft (high ankle sprain) has made valuable contributions in the Meadowdale girls basketball team’s three games at the Class 3A state tournament.
One of her teammates has been hurting too. Meadowdale starter Alli Streit, a 5-foot-6 senior guard, is competing with an injured right elbow. The right-handed shooter sprained and hyperextended her elbow last week while diving for a rebound and having an opponent land on her in a district-tourney game against Shorecrest.
This week, Streit has had the elbow wrapped tightly. It affects her shot a lot, preventing her from extending her follow-through, she said.
“I’ve been doing physical therapy, but it’s getting better,” said Streit.
On Friday she generated her best performance of the tourney, tallying 10 points, 10 rebounds and a steal. Since her outside shot isn’t reliable, Streit did most of her damage inside. Her layin late in the third quarter gave Meadowdale a 43-30 lead over Fort Vancouver.
The Mavericks went on to beat Fort Vancouver 58-50 and advance to today’s fifth/eighth-place game.
Meadowdale coach Dan Taylor knows he can always rely on Streit, whether she’s healthy or not.
“Alli’s going to get those key buckets when we need them. … She’s one of the most consistent players on our team,” Taylor said.
Morning madness: Including today’s fifth/eighth-place game, all four of Meadowdale’s tourney contests will have started well before noon. It’s an unusual itinerary for players accustomed to competing late at night. But the Mavericks are doing their best to adjust.
“It’s just so much more tiring and slow in the morning,” Streit said. “But I know our team wants it really bad, so we come out and play with heart.”
Appreciating the experience: Meadowdale has qualified for state 13 consecutive seasons. Jones, a four-year starter, is playing in her fourth and final state tourney. Sometimes it’s easy to take all the success for granted, she said.
“At Meadowdale, it’s just kind of expected. But some girls never even get there. We need to work even harder to show why we’re here.”
In the fast lane: Some players prefer a deliberate, slow-it-down style of basketball. Not Meadowdale’s Jones. Whether she’s watching a game or playing in one, she craves up-tempo action.
“I love playing fast-paced games, back and forth like that,” she said. “You get out and you have fun.”
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