Prep basketball roundup: Todd Beamer clinches fourth consecutive state berth
Jenna Randich scored more points in the first quarter against the Todd Beamer High School girls basketball team by herself on Saturday than the past two teams that played the third-ranked Titans had combined in their opening quarters.
She scored three points.
They were the first three points of the game, but Beamer then scored 27 unanswered points — a run that only ended when Averie Stock hit a mid-range jumper in the second quarter — as the Titans cruised to a 67-21 victory on Saturday at Auburn Mountainview.
Todd Beamer has outscored its past three opponents 71-5 in the first quarter.
“I know (Beamer coach Corey Alexander) and I think he has them in tip-top shape right now,” Olympia coach Jackie Robinson said. “I got film on them from the regular season, but they are a whole different monster right now.”
Nia Alexander, Corey Alexander’s daughter, scored a game-high 21 points and Bria Rice, a University of Colorado signee who is The News Tribune’s reigning All-Area player of the year, added 13.
Todd Beamer (20-2) clinched its fourth consecutive trip to the 4A state tournament with the victory — the only four state appearances in school history.
It started four years ago, when Rice and Nia Alexander were part of a talented freshmen core.
“We’ve been with these kids since the sixth grade, most of them,” Corey Alexander said. “Watching them grow and achieve different things is a blessing to watch. I’ve been talking with some parents — it’s a tearjerker when you think about it.”
Beamer advances to the district semifinals to play Gig Harbor in the district semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at Puyallup High School.
The Titans had more points in the first quarter (27) than Olympia had in the game (21). This after it led 23-0 against Curtis in the SPSL championship game on Feb. 4 and then led 22-2 after the first quarter of Thursday’s win over South Kitsap in the first round of the 4A West Central District tournament.
“I’ve watched enough film — I knew it was coming,” Robinson said. “They jump on people early. If you can sustain through that first quarter, you can probably stay with them. … We just didn’t make enough shots and they made shots.”
Beamer’s defense was so long and disruptive, Olympia had a hard time even getting the ball across half court at times.
“The games we lost to Lynnwood (the defensing 3A state champions) and Bellevue (the top-ranked 3A team in the state) we had a lot of defensive breakdowns,” Nia Alexander said. “From those experiences, we said ‘defense is key.’ ”
Randich led the Bears with six points. Olympia (13-9) heads to the consolation bracket, where it will play Kent-Meridian at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Mt. Tahoma. It needs to win that game and one more to clinch a state berth.
“I think the more you play against teams like Beamer, the more you understand what they do well, and then hopefully we can emulate that,” Robinson said.
Kent Meridian 51, Timberline 43: The Blazers’ season will end with Kent Meridian. Timberline lost in a loser-out contest in the 4A West Central District tournament. Kent Meridian (13-11) moves on to play Olympia (13-10) in a loser-out game at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn High School.
Kennedy Catholic 44, Shelton 41: Three points will end the season for the Highclimbers as they dropped a loser-out contest to the Lancers at Clover Park High School in the 3A West Central/Southwest district tournament.
Enumclaw 35, Capital 25: As 3A Narrows League rival did right before it, Capital lost a season-ending game at Clover Park in the 3A West Central/Southwest district tournament. No area tams remain in the tournament.
Gig Harbor 50, Curtis 46: Megan Murray’s hands were shaking, the Tides’ face red from coaching every possession of the TIdes’ win.
That will happen when you clinch your first state berth in a decade.
“I’m just very proud of our girls,” Murray said.
Gig Harbor held off Curtis’ late charge to win its district quarterfinal game and secure a spot in the district semifinals -- where from here the Tides will have at least the No. 4 seed from the district tournament to the regional round of state.
Brynna Maxwell scored a game-high 21 points for Gig Harbor (15-6), which last reached state in 2006.
Curtis (16-7) fell to 3-7 against teams that aren’t from the 4A SPSL South. It will play Tahoma in a loser-out game on Tuesday at Auburn.
Jalaiya Frederick and Kaelin Williams-Kennedy each scored 11 points for the Vikings and Peightyn Perrien added 10.
At Auburn
Bellarmine Prep 49, Kentridge 44 (OT): Jayana Ervin scored 11 points and Reyelle Frazier added 10 as the Lions rallied in the second half to force overtime.
Bellarmine (16-6) secured its fourth consecutive state tournament appearance -- and 10th in the past 11 years -- with the victory.
It trailed Kentridge 18-10 at halftime and advances to face sixth-ranked Kentlake in the district semifinals at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Auburn. The lowest seed it can earn from the district tournament to the regional round of the state tournament is fourth.
Sophomore guard Morgan Gary scored a game-high 19 points for Kentridge (17-6), which heads to the consolation bracket to play Rogers in a loser-out game at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Mt. Tahoma.
No. 6 Kentlake 55, Puyallup 35: The Falcons just wouldn’t let the Vikings in this game.
They increased their lead with every quarter and clinched their first state tournament berth since 2007 behind Jada Leonard’s 15 points and Anniston Denkla’s 12.
Kentlake (19-4) has won seven consecutive games from the end of the regular season and into the district tournament. It clinched its fourth state berth in school history.
3A WEST CENTRAL/SOUTHWEST
At Franklin Pierce
No. 7 Lincoln 54, Auburn Mountainview 19: For the ninth time in school history, the Abes will play in the state tournament.
Morticia McCall scored a game-high 18 points and Lincoln held the Lions to seven points in the second half, securing their third state appearance since 1988.
Tamia Braggs added nine points for Lincoln, which advances to the district semifinals to play eighth-ranked Prairie at 6 p.m. Thursday at Franklin Pierce.
Auburn Mountainview heads to the consolation bracket, where it will play at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Clover Park.
No. 8 Prairie 71, Bonney Lake 31: Cherita Daugherty scored 16 points as the Falcons jumped to a big lead early and cruised from there.
The loss sends the Panthers to the consolation bracket, where they will play Sumner at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Clover Park in a loser-out game.
Emily Stonerock led Bonney Lake with seven points.
No. 10 Wilson 73, Hazen 23: The Rams are headed back to state.
Kiki Knox had 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight steals and Wilson harassed the Highlanders, limiting them to just seven points in the second half. Wilson led 44-16 at halftime.
The Rams (18-4) clinched their sixth consecutive state tournament appearance, despite losing leading scorer and point guard Josie Matz to a season-ending knee injury just before the end of the regular season.
Erica Hamlin scored 16 points and freshman Brooklyn Grant scored 15 (including four 3-pointers).
They advance to the district semifinals, where they will play unbeaten and fifth-ranked Auburn Riverside at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Franklin Pierce.
No. 5 Auburn Riverside 57, Columbia River 26: McKenzi Williams scored a game-high 17 points as the Ravens improved to 22-0 and clinched a state tournament berth.
Auburn Riverside led 20-5 after the first quarter. Olivia Denton added 15 points.
2A SEAKING/WEST CENTRAL
At Foss
Franklin Pierce 54, Renton 44: The Cardinals clinched their first trip to the state tournament since 1997 and their fourth overall in school history with the victory over the Indians.
Franklin Pierce (17-5) has done so behind Puyallup-transfer Alexius Foster, who in the first round of districts scored 30 points.
The Cardinals also advanced to the district semifinals, where they will play ninth-ranked Port Angeles at 6 p.m. Thursday at Foss.
No. 9 Port Angeles 39, River Ridge 34: The winner secured a state berth, but it wasn’t the Hawks.
The five-point separation will send them to a loser-out game in the 2A West Central/SeaKing tournament.
River Ridge (13-8) will play Fife (11-11) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Curtis High School.
No. 5 White River 54, North Kitsap 37: Clutch free-throw shooting propelled the fifth-ranked Hornets. .
White River knocked down 14-of-17 attempts from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Hornets — who were locked in a tight contest for the first three quarters — to come away with a 17-point victory.
Georgia Lavinder, who knocked down all four of her free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter, scored a game high 13. Hornets forward Kendall Bird notched a double double as she scored 11 and pulled down 10 rebounds.
With the victory, the Hornets clinch a spot in the regional round of the state tournament and advance to the district semifinals to play Liberty of Issaquah at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Foss.
1A WEST CENTRAL
Charles Wright 61, Vashon Island 17: Shoni Pritchett and RubyJoy Pikes recorded double-doubles for the Tarriers. Pritchett had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Pikes scored 12 points and recorded 12 rebounds. “It was a great night for us,” said Tarrier head coach Kate Rue.
Charles Wright did not allow the Pirates to do much on offense, Annika Hille and Melanie Stoffer were the leading scorers with four points each. The Tarriers move on to play Coupeville at 6:00 p.m. at Sumner for a chance at the Championship round.
1B TRIDISTRICT
Evergreen Lutheran 62, Rainier Christian 21: The Eagles’ full-court pressure was effective as the blasted by the Mustangs. Kaitlin Schwarts recorded a double-double, 21 points and 12 steals. Emily Holder almost achieved a rare quadruple-double as she scored 20 points, recorded 11 rebounds, eight steals, and eight assists.
BOYS BASKETBALL
2A SOUTHWEST
Black Hills 65, R.A. Long 54: After swiping the No. 2 seed out of the 2A EvCo from Centralia last week, the Wolves bested the Lumberjacks at home.
And TJ Mickelson put on a show with 32 points, including seven 3-pointers.
Black Hills (10-11) will play Mark Morris (18-3) on Tuesday for a trip to the 2A Southwest District 4 championship.
1A WEST CENTRAL
At Cascade Christian 56, Bellevue Christian 43: Junior guard Travis Fox scored a team high 15 points as the Cougars (11-8) defeated the Vikings (9-12).
Sam Hoffman (11) and Jesse Howells (10) also reached double figures in scoring.
Cascade Christian advances to play Chimacum at Sumner at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Bellevue Christian is eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
2B SOUTHWEST
No. 3 Life Christian 60, Napavine 52: It’s not often you see a 20-20 night from a high school basketball player.
With a game-high 24 points and 18 rebounds Luke Lovelady put on a show for the Eagles. Wyatt Stanley kept the Tigers in range with a double-double of his own with 17 points and 15 rebounds, but the Eagles' pressure was just too much to handle.
This story was originally published February 13, 2016 at 11:34 PM with the headline "Prep basketball roundup: Todd Beamer clinches fourth consecutive state berth."