EVERETT
You know those games where a player quietly puts up some pretty big numbers? This was not one of those occasions.
Alyssa Smith poured in 20 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and made three crucial second-half hustle plays to ensure that Archbishop Murphy would hold off the spirited Lakewood Cougars 50-43 in a Jan. 11 dust-up between the Cascade Conference unbeatens.
With the victory the Wildcats gained a little sigh of relief in the rarefied air atop the conference standings.
“Hustle plays, defense, rebounding (Smith) was cleaning up everything,” Archbishop Murphy coach John Barhanovich said. “She took her shots when she was open and didn’t force things.
“We got a great game from Alyssa,” Barhanovich added. “But, the whole team chipped in and helped out.”
For its part, resilient Lakewood showed it fully intends to be a major factor in the chase for the conference crown, despite contra-indications in the form of a 9-0 deficit with the game barely two minutes old.
“We knew we could play with these guys, but it’s always tough when you dig yourself a hole,” Lakewood coach Chris Walster said. “We had full confidence we could come back, but we’re looking at this was as running out of time, not losing a game.
“They’re tough,” Walster continued. “Coach (Barhanovich) has got them going hard all the time … but, I think a lot of people when they look in the paper will be more than a little surprised when they see how close this game was.”
Ultimately, in this first meeting of the season between the two teams, it was Smith who made the greatest difference.
“We know that every game is going to be a battle and we were working our butts off,” Smith said. “The ball just kind of bounced right to me a few times tonight. I’ve been struggling but when I work hard good things happen.”
After trailing by as many as 14 points early in the second quarter, Lakewood chipped away at the deficit in the third quarter.
The Cougars finally chopped the margin to seven late in the period. But, on a missed 3-point shot by Murphy’s Shelby Lyman, Smith swept in and shoveled in a put-back just ahead of the buzzer to give the Wildcats a 38-29 lead.
Lakewood opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run, including four points by its leading scorer Ally Stewart (11 points, seven rebounds, four assists).
Lyman threw down a 3-pointer to blunt the run. The Wildcats made a defensive stop and on their next possession missed two 3-pointers before Smith seized a board and wrenched up a put-back to provide a 43-35 lead with just under five minutes remaining.
Lakewood was far from done. A jumper in the lane by Karli Hesselman (10 points, four boards) capped a 5-0 spurt and brought Lakewood back to within three with 2:44 to play.
The Wildcats patiently whittled the shot clock down before Nickole Bartholomew (six points on two 3-pointers, four assists) fired a pass to Lyman (12 points on four 3-pointers, five rebounds) who buried a trey from left of the circle.
“You get the shot clock down to four seconds and (Lyman) drains a 3,” Walster lamented. “You can play the best defense in the world, but these (Archbishop Murphy) girls come up with big shots.”
Smith hushed the Cougars comeback buzz all the more when she scooped up a loose ball, turned around and dropped in a shot to make the score 48-40 with 1:20 remaining and Lakewood could draw no closer than five points as the final minute wound down.
Archbishop Murphy enjoyed key contributions from Sammi Pettinger (eight points, six rebounds) and Rachel Shober (seven rebounds).
Lakewood’s Anna Work came up with 10 rebounds and five points, Jennifer Lind had eight points and six boards and Jeneca Hoidal had six points on a pair of 3-pointers.
Bob Mortenson writes for The Herald in Everett.
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