This week’s snowfall postponed the first Shorecrest vs. Shorewood girls basketball matchup of the season.
According to district athletic director Paul Lesh, the earliest the Western Conference 4A South Division game will be made up is this Monday, Jan. 12.
Shorecrest has won two straight league games to take over sole possession of fifth place in the division.
The Scots shot 57 percent from the field in a 68-45 trouncing of Mariner last weekend that raised their records to 3-2 in league play and 3-4 overall.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised at our progress and how we’ve jelled more quickly than I thought we would,” Shorecrest coach Don Dalziel said.
With the increased output of Mary Tseng, senior Katie Dewey and juniors Banimi Lawson and Lisa Magnusson in particular, Shorecrest has managed to overcome some hefty losses to graduation.
Tseng recently took over at point guard and is averaging a team-high 11.3 points per game. Against Mariner, the 5-foot-8 sophomore led all scorers with 24 points on 10-for-14 shooting.
Dewey has scored in double figures in all but two of Shorecrest’s first seven games and Lawson has been a steady scorer and defensive stopper for the Scots in the post.
“It’s been different people stepping up in different games,” Dalziel said. “In the last few years we haven’t really had balanced scoring. This year, it’s very balanced. Opponents have to respect more than one person on the floor.”
Magnusson struck for a career-high 18 points off the bench in a 73-59 win over Mountlake Terrace Dec. 19.
“She knows exactly what to do when she gets in the game,” Dalziel said. “She gives us a jump-start when we need it.”
Shorewood, meanwhile, is still searching for its sparkplug.
The T-birds (1-3, 1-5) have lost three straight since their 50-39 win over last-place Mariner Dec. 17 and are tied for seventh place in the division with Jackson.
“We’re trying to find our identity and build confidence in each other and ourselves,” Shorewood coach Brandon Glasser said. “The girls are finding ways to motivate each other.”
In a 49-41 loss to Kamiak last weekend, Shorewood added a wrinkle to its game plan: a fullcourt press. After scoring just 15 points through three quarters, the T-birds staged a furious comeback and shrunk a 19-point deficit to five with less than two minutes remaining.
“We’ll be picking up the pace and putting more fullcourt pressure on teams in the future,” Glasser said.
If the defensive adjustments take hold, Glasser hopes the T-birds will be able to shrug off their rocky start and stay in the running for a postseason berth.
“It’s still early in league (play) and a lot of other teams are in the same boat we’re in,” Glasser said. “The girls get a little frustrated, but they realize this is all part of our growth.”
Shorecrest will also likely encounter some growing pains on its way to securing a return to the playoffs.
“The next six weeks are a grind,” Dalziel said. “If we can keep our heads and stay confident, I’m comfortable with where we’ll be at the end.”
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