SHORELINE
On a night where the Shoreline Christian girls basketball team was out of sync, the Crusaders’ Ashley Ott stepped into the void.
Ott found ways to get open off inbound passes and press breaks en route to a 20-point game as the third-ranked Crusaders put down a feisty Concrete team 50-37 Jan. 26.
Concrete, a team that has struggled to a 3-6 record in the Northwest A/B League, found a way to beat the Crusaders press and found itself in a 24-24 ballgame at the half.
Concrete played hard-nosed aggressive defense that focused on shutting down Shoreline Christian freshman guard Angela Woods, who came into the game averaging 20 points a game. The Lions double teamed her, bumped her and made her earn every one of her season-low eight points.
With Concrete determined to frustrate Woods, the Crusaders needed other options.
“It wasn’t one of our better shooting nights,” Shoreline Christian coach Stan De Yager said.
Ott, a senior forward, was consistent throughout the game, while junior forward Angela DeKoekkoek scored eight of her 14 points in the pivotal third quarter. The Crusaders trademark press wore down the Lions after the half as they outscored Concrete 13-2 in the third.
“We just came out wanting it more in the second half,” Ott said. “We just came out with more energy.”
Concrete cut the lead to six with about three minutes to go in the game, but Shoreline Christian ended the game on a 10-3 run. The Crusaders held Concrete to 13 points in the second half.
“We settled in,” De Yager said. “We were doing a lot of junk defenses the first part of the game.”
Shoreline Christian improved to 9-0 in the Northwest A/B League and 15-1 overall.
Natasha Smith led Concrete with 15 points and Beka Thomas added 14.
Shoreline Christian made 12-of-21 free throws and Concrete made 12-of-19 free throws.
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