PORT ANGELES – Neither team wanted to cave in and give up the top spot in the Northwest Athletic Conference North Division.
In the end, eighth-ranked Bellevue defeated the sixth-ranked Peninsula women’s basketball team 67-62.
Saturday’s showdown featured a postseason atmosphere for the full 40 minutes.
The tension and emotion were high. Maybe a little too high for the Pirates.
“I think I got a little bit rattled with the officiating, and I apologized to the team. I take complete responsibility for that loss,” Peninsula coach Alison Crumb said.
“It’s a rivalry. Things got a little bit heated. I probably should have composed myself a little bit more to, you know, keep the girls calm, because I think they started to play with a lot of emotion. They were getting just as frustrated as we [coaches] were.
“You know, it’s a learning experience. And we wanted to win that one at home, but we’re just going to have to go there and take one, I guess.”
On the flipside, that emotion also was a boon to the Pirates for much of the game, especially during the first half, in which Peninsula either led or was tied for the entire 20 minutes.
After the score was tied 25-25 at intermission, Bellevue flipped the tables, scoring the first five points of the second half and either holding a lead or being tied for the entire 20 minutes.
The Bulldogs’ lead reached as high as eight points, 47-39, with 10:45 left in the game.
That advantage was built soon after Peninsula lost starter Zhara Laster to a knee injury with 13:36 to play.
Laster is the Pirates’ leading rebounder and a crucial part of their press defense.
“We played with a lot of energy. I think when one of your own goes out like that, players just step up,” Crumb said.
“It hurts us to lose a player like Zhara. She does so many different things on the floor.
“When ‘Z’ goes out, it’s tough for us to put on a full zone press.”
Crumb didn’t know the extent of Laster’s injury after the game.
Even without Laster, and with starting post Gabi Fenumiai saddled with foul trouble, the Pirates didn’t allow the Bulldogs to pull away.
Imani Smith scored on a third-chance opportunity and Cierra Moss nailed a 3-pointer to make it 47-44.
Then, Fenumiai scored on a putback, Smith made buckets and Moss hit a free throw to tie the game at 51-51.
Bellevue scored six of the next seven points to take a 57-52 lead.
But Peninsula’s Madison Pilster went coast-to-coast for a layup and then scored on a follow to make it 57-56 with three minutes remaining.
The Bulldogs again went on a run, scoring six straight for a 63-56 lead.
The Pirates again rallied.
Smith, who was in attack mode for most of the final 10 minutes, drove the lane for a pair of layups and Cherish Moss made two free throws with 31 seconds left to bring Peninsula to within three points at 65-62.
At the other end of the court, Smith made a steal to give the Pirates, still down three, the ball with 25 seconds to play.
Peninsula had two chances to either tie the game with a 3-pointer or get to within one point, but neither chance produced either result.
Pilster led the Pirates with 14 points and had seven rebounds, while Smith racked up 12 points and Miranda Schmillen contributed eight.
Fenumiai finished with seven points and led Peninsula with 10 rebounds and three steals.
Cierra Moss and Laster had six points apiece. Laster also grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists before her early exit.
Nine of the 10 Pirates who played scored at least one point.
Peninsula struggled at the free-throw line, especially in the second half when it shot only 7 of 15 (47 percent) to Bellevue’s 14 of 17 (82 percent).
For the game, the Pirates were 10 for 19 at the foul line.
Cierra Moss made 4 of 6 and Schmillen and Cherish Moss were each 2 for 2. The rest of the team made only 2 of 9 attempts.
While the loss was disappointing for the Pirates, it wasn’t devastating.
“Of course, we want to win that one,” Crumb said.
“It’s a long season. I told our girls, don’t be frustrated, you can’t get upset with yourself for something you wish you could have done.
“We’ve got a lot ahead, so let it go.
“We’re not even halfway through with our league season yet, so we’ve got a lot of growth and a lot of things to learn.”
Next up for Peninsula is another pivotal North Division showdown, this time on the road against Skagit Valley (4-1, 14-7) on Wednesday. The Pirates and Cardinals are tied for second place.
Bellevue 67, Peninsula 62
Bellevue 25 42 — 67
Peninsula 25 37 — 62
Individual scoring
Bellevue (67)
Kassuba 21, Jones 17, Hopkins 13, Jackson 8, McClean 4, Cosmos 4, Jennings, Alexander.
Peninsula (62)
Pilster 14, Smith 12, Schmillen 8, Fenumiai 7, Ci. Moss 7, Laster 6, Ch. Moss 5, Hutchins 2, Criddle 1, Nemelka.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
