PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles went toe-to-toe with state power Lynden but the Roughriders’ fourth-quarter shots wouldn’t fall and the Lions went home with a 46-42 nonleague girls basketball win Tuesday.
Facing virtually the same Lynden squad that beat the Riders 55-43 in an early-season game and eliminated Port Angeles from the Class 2A state tournament in a 48-33 defeat last year, the Riders scrapped and clawed with the veteran Lions all game long.
“[A] couple of highlights for me was our defensive pressure,” Port Angeles assistant coach Jennifer Rogers said. “We ran a zone for the first two games and switched to man against Lynden. Our girls came out intense and fought through screens and battled down low with post-ups.”
Hustle plays, including three blocked shots by three different Riders, gave Port Angeles some energy in the second quarter.
Eve Burke missed a 3-point attempt but ran down the long rebound on the opposite side of the floor on a possession that later led to a Riders basket.
Jaida Wood got all ball on a block and steal to get things rolling. Millie Long stuffed and stole the ball on another Lynden possession, going coast-to-coast for a layup late in the first half.
And Bailee Larson closed out the second quarter with a ball denial and block on the Lions’ final second heave from the half-court line.
Larson also hit two 3s in the second quarter, matching Wood’s two first-quarter 3s as the Riders went up 25-21 at halftime.
“Bailee Larson had another great game, with 12 points, including three 3s, and feisty defense,” Rogers said. “She had a great block at the end of the first half and has constantly been generating energy for our team.
Wood drained two big third-quarter 3s to give Port Angeles a 33-24 lead with 2:10 left in the third quarter.
“Jaida Wood was huge with five three pointers and ending up with 19 points.”
The Lions controlled the fourth quarter, working the ball inside, picking up fouls and hitting just enough of their free throws to take control.
Lynden hit on 8 of 13 freebies in the fourth quarter, highlighted by senior point guard Liv Tjoelker who hit all four of her attempts and scored nine of her team-high 14 points in the final quarter.
Port Angeles (1-2) managed to get to the line for four fourth-quarter free throw attempts but hit just one, and ended the game 5 for 15 from the foul line.
Rogers handled head coaching duties with head coach Michael Poindexter sidelined due to a medical procedure. The Riders added girls soccer head coach Scott Moseley to the coaching staff in his absence.
Poindexter said he expects to coach in Friday’s Olympic League opener at home against Kingston (1-1).
Lynden 46, Port Angeles 42
Lynden 11 10 8 17— 46
Port Angeles 10 15 8 9— XX
Lynden (46) — Tjoelker 14, Hershey 10, VanderYacht 8, K. Holleman 6, VanderHaak 4, Baar 3, Anderson 2.
Port Angeles (42) — Wood 19, Larson 12, Long 6, Burke 4, Walker 1, Brady, Brown, Stensgard, Petty, Brenkman.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
