UNIVERSITY PLACE — Sequim’s girls basketball season ended with a 41-31 loss to Franklin Pierce in the first round of the Class 2A West Central District Tournament.
The Wolves (10-11) were undone on Monday by “some uncharacteristic mistakes” in their passing game, according to head coach Evan Still.
“I’m not sure if it was just one of those days, the pressure of playing in their first playoff game or the 1-2-2 zone [Franklin Pierce used on defense], but we made way too many bad passes,” Still said.
Sequim managed just two points in the first quarter, trailing 7-2 after the first frame.
“We improved the passing as the game went along, but that first quarter was just bad,” Still said.
“The passes we were making, we weren’t flashing or coming back to help get the basketball, or if we did we would hand off on the inside where the defender was and they’d take the ball.
“I can think of four or five passes where we had a wide-open player waiting for the shot or the drive but we would just throw it out of bounds.”
Sequim regrouped to tie the game up at 17-17 at half, with Wolves senior Alexas Besand accounting for seven of her team-high nine points before intermission.
Sequim was able to beat the Franklin Pierce pressure by exploiting an inability to defend an outlet pass down court in the second quarter.
The Cardinals adjusted after the break and took the lead back in the third and led 30-23 entering the fourth quarter, but the Wolves couldn’t get themselves back into the game.
Gabby Evans had a game-high 16 points for Franklin Pierce.
Kylee Williams scored seven points and Hailey Lester chipped in with six for Sequim.
The Wolves were without forward Caitlin Stofferahn, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee against Bremerton last Tuesday.
It was the final game for Sequim seniors Besand, Vanessa Martinez and Melanie Guan.
“I told the team . . . that those three seniors have set a standard for our program,” Still said.
“They showed up to play at a lot of open gyms, a lot of summer sessions, team camps and tournaments and they were committed and set an example that I hope the younger girls understand and want to follow.”
Franklin Pierce advances to face Port Angeles today at 6 p.m. at Wilson High School in Tacoma.
Franklin Pierce 41, Sequim 31
Sequim 2 15 6 8— 31
Franklin Pierce 7 10 13 11— 41
Individual scoring
Sequim (31)
Besand 9, Williams 7, Lester 6, Guan 4, Miller 2, Beuke 2, Martinez 1.
Franklin Pierce (41)
Evans 16, Vailolo 7, Lennox 6, Walker 6, Vuthy 3, Patterson 3.
