EVERETT — Lauren Coate doesn’t have many memories of the first time she picked up a basketball.

But a look at the family photograph collection reveals that Coate’s passion for the sport runs deep.

“We have pictures at home when I was 3 holding a basketball,” the 6-foot Archbishop Thomas Murphy senior center said. “I think my dad was out there dribbling the ball with me.”

More than 15 years later, not a whole lot has changed.

Coate is still just as passionate about basketball as ever and her father Jeff is there to support her.

About the only thing that has changed is the venue.

For the last four years, Coate has been a key contributor for Archbishop Murphy, the defending Northwest A League champions and one of the area’s top Class A teams.

Coate made an immediate impact in her freshman season, averaging 14 points per game. She also was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. Last year, Coate snagged the MVP award at the Class A state all—star game.

This year, Coate is having another top-notch season, averaging 17.5 points and 10 rebounds a game, as Archbishop Murphy closes in on a fourth straight league championship. Coate’s parents, Jeff and Denise, know their daughter’s numbers well since they compile the statistics for the team.

Coate is hoping to wrap up her high school career with a third straight appearance at the state tournament this March and would like to take home some hardware this time.

The Wildcats went two-and-out Coate’s sophomore season and played three games last season, one of which ended up being the highest scoring game of the tournament.

Archbishop Murphy appears to be an improved team due in large part to the emergence of Lauren’s younger sister Lisa, a freshman center.

The development of Lisa prompted Wildcats coach Bill Kelley to move Lauren to the outside, where she played during her freshman and sophomore seasons.

“It makes us a much tougher team to defend,” Kelley said the shift. “Lisa holds her own in post and has continued to improve.”

Lauren has added a new wrinkle to her repertoire — the 3-point shot. Coate is connecting on about 50 percent of her 3-pointers this season.

“This is the first year that I’ve been shooting threes,” Lauren said. “Even as a freshman when I played outside, I never was a 3-point shooter.”

As the season progresses, Coate is shooting more and more 3-point goals and her percentage is staying about the same.

“Lauren is without a doubt the most accurate 3-point shooter I’ve seen,” said Kelley, who noted that Coate has always been a good midrange shooter.

Coate is making about 55 percent of her 2-point shots and connects on 75 percent of her free throws.

“She can play anywhere — inside, outside — and be a threat all of the time,” Kelley said.

Scoring isn’t the only area where Coate excels. She dishes out four assists a game, second on the team to point guard Trisha Terhar, and averages two blocked shots and three steals a game.

“She is doing a lot of things for us. She’s very unselfish,” Kelley said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that if it were in her mindset, she could score 25 points per game. She could do that, but winning comes first for her and being a team player. I really appreciate that.”

Through last week, Coate has logged 1,443 career points, which makes her the school’s all-time scoring leader and the No. 2 active Class A scorer in the state.

As a two-time co-captain, Coate helps set the tone at practices, which are spirited and intense.

Lauren usually matches up against Lisa and is partly responsible for her younger sister’s strong play.

“They go head to head. They have some great battles,” Kelley said the Coate sisters. “The speed of (Lisa’s) development is partially due to the challenges and encouragement she gets from her sister.

“(Lauren) is a competitor … she expects other people to be that way. The team’s attitude is that way.”

Lisa enjoys the challenge of battling her older sister.

“I’m always against her,” Lisa said. “It’s tough. It’s good practice for me.”

Sometimes when Lisa doesn’t fully understand a particular play or defensive strategy, she and Lauren will get together on their own to review what’s gone on at practice.

Lauren’s passion and knowledge of basketball is due in large part to the countless hours spent with her father.

“He’s the one that introduced basketball to both my sister and I,” Lauren said. “He’s probably taught me most of what I know. He was my coach when I was little and up through sixth grade.

“I still go out and shoot with him. He always gives me pointers.”

Growing up, Lauren was always tall for her age, which gave her a bit of an advantage over her teammates.

When she was in the sixth grade, Coate played on a team with high school age players. That experience was the start of what has turned into a memorable high school career.

“I’ve just improved over the years … because of the opportunity I’ve had to play a team with older girls,” Coate said.

Last spring and summer, Coate joined the Seattle Magic, one of the area’s top select teams. It wasn’t until she was contacted by the Magic that Coate thought about playing basketball in college.

The experience of being around some of the elite players in the state merely reinforced Coate’s desire to continue her basketball career.

Coate is seriously considering five schools — Pacific Lutheran, Seattle University, Western Washington, Linfield College (Oregon) and Vanguard University (California). She hopes to make a final decision by early March.

“I like all of the coaches. I’ve met most of the coaches and teams,” Coate said. “It’s going to be a hard decision.”

But before she decides on her post-high school future, Coate is hoping to lead the Wildcats to their first-ever Class A girls basketball championship.

“We’ve made progress each year,” Coate said. “I think this could be the year. I think we have a really good chance.”

When the postseason rolls around, there’s little question in Kelley’s mind who Archbishop Murphy will rely on for points. Coate’s scoring average goes up in the playoffs and when the team needs a basket in a close game, Coate usually is who the team turns to.

“We want the ball in her hands when the game is on the line,” Kelley said.