I can’t wait for Jan. 16.
That’s the next time the Jackson and Meadowdale girls basketball teams meet up. Based on last night’s well-played, exciting-to-the-end game between the teams at the Jackson High gym, the rematch should be another classic.
Last night’s game had a bit of everything. Jackson ultimately won thanks to a late driving layin by senior guard Ashly Bruns. Here is my story about the game, which Jackson won 69-67.
Meadowdale and Jackson are the established giants in the Western Conference South Division, and they backed up their reputations last night. There was a fast-paced flow to the action but it never got sloppy, thanks to a collection of quick, intelligent guards on both sides.
Marquee players Eryn Jones of Meadowdale (27 points) and Kristi Kingma of Jackson (24) thrilled their respective cheering sections all night. Kingma did most of her damage in the first quarter with 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field.
Besides accurate shooting and plenty of transition attacks, there were impressive rallies. Meadowdale fell behind by as many as seven points in the first half and didn’t take its first lead until Jones sliced into the lane and scored a layin with 1 second to go in the second quarter. The ball hung perilously on the front of the rim before dropping in.
Later, Meadowdale surged ahead by nine points, but Jackson fought back in the fourth quarter and won even though Kingma fouled out with 2:01 to go.
One unsung Jackson hero who didn’t make it into my story was senior guard Sara O’Neal. The substitute scored just two points, but her lone basket was crucial. It came on a short shot from the left side, after a teammate’s attempt was blocked by a Meadowdale player. O’Neal’s timely score put Jackson on top 65-62 with 1:03 to go.
Even if girls basketball isn’t your thing — even if you haven’t gone to a game in years and don’t have a connection to Jackson or Meadowdale — I suggest you clear your calendar on the night of Jan. 16. Take a chance. Head to the Meadowdale High gym in Lynnwood. You’re guaranteed to get some inexpensive entertainment, and maybe you’ll witness another extraordinary performance by two of the area’s finest squads.
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