LYNNWOOD – Meadowdale’s 5-foot-6 sophomore guard Margreet Barhoum did her best on-the-court impression of former Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Reggie Miller at Meadowdale High School.
The only things missing were the New York Knicks and Spike Lee.
Barhoum scored a game-high 19 points and hit a huge 3-pointer, her fourth of the night, from the corner with 54 seconds remaining in the game to help elevate the Mavericks to a 73-67 win over Edmonds-Woodway in a Western Conference South Division clash on Dec. 16.
“Gabi (Beyer) had a really good assist down in the corner and I think we’re all happy it went in,” said Barhoum, who was admittedly unfamiliar with Reggie Miller.
The sophomore wasn’t alone in attacking an undermanned Warriors squad.
Junior Michaela O’Neill matched Barhoum’s 19 points and Beyer pitched in 13 points as the Mavericks used a second-half run to wear down an Edmonds-Woodway team missing leading-scorer Angela Woods and her 17.3 points per game.
Woods, absent to attend her confirmation into the Catholic church, and Delany Curtis’ absence depleted an already thin lineup for the Warriors.
“Angela was first-team all-league last year and your job gets easier as a team if you’re not playing against Angela,” Meadowdale head coach Troy Parker said. “That said, I thought they had some kids step up; Amia Nash I thought did fabulous and I thought their bigs did a good job controlling the glass.”
First-year Edmonds-Woodway head coach Duane Hodges used a seven-player rotation for much of the night, while every player saw the floor for Meadowdale.
“We were a little bit fatigued and we didn’t have a real good rotation,” Hodges said. “… That’s their (Meadowdale) strength, their depth, we don’t have a lot of depth.”
Nash and 6-foot junior Sydney Donaldson finished with 17 points apiece and Ashley Albertson added 13 points for the short-handed Warriors.
Meadowdale showcased its depth in the fast-paced game, often substituting five players in at one time, but it was the team’s hot shooting, including nine 3-pointers, that provided the impetus to beat Edmonds-Woodway.
Trailing by six points, 47-41, with 4 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Barhoum went into autopilot and scored nine points in 38 seconds, including a three-point play and a 3-pointer from the wing, to put Meadowdale ahead 50-47.
“You’re just thankful she’s wearing your uniform that night,” Parker said of Barhoum. “Margreet is a really good, instinctive basketball player.”
O’Neill added seven points near the end of the quarter to help keep Meadowdale in the lead.
The speedy Nash scored the Warriors first eight points of the fourth quarter, many on strong drives to the basket, to help tie the game at 62 with 3:10 remaining.
Edmonds-Woodway took a two-point lead, but O’Neill hit a game-tying lay-in with 1:21 remaining before Barhoum sank her corner 3-pointer with 54 seconds on the clock for a 69-66 Meadowdale lead.
“My teammates really did a good job opening up the floor and finding open players,” Barhoum said. “… We’ve been working really hard in practice for this game and it paid off.”
Edmonds-Woodway used a strong press-break to get numerous inside shots while building a 35-32 halftime lead, but Meadowdale relaxed the press in the second half and the Mavericks received some validation with a win against a tough opponent.
Mark Nelson writes for The Herald.
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