Lightning Strikes Back

La Salle avenges 2009 semifinal loss to earn trip to title game ||

SPOKANE, Wash. — Some things don’t change.

Over the last four years, a matchup between the La Salle and Napavine girls basketball teams at the Class 2B state tournament has become more expected than commonplace. While the meetings have been almost predetermined, though, the outcomes have not, with the Tigers ending La Salle’s quest for a repeat state title in the semifinals in 2009.

LaSalle coach Alyssa Goins applauds her team's effort in the closing minutes of their 45-27 semi-final win over Napavine at the State 2B Basketball tournament in Spokane Friday night. (Kirk Hirota/For the Yakima Herald-Republic)

Facing off in the semis for the second straight year, the Lightning (23-2) would not be denied a second time, relying more on defense and grit than its fast-breaking offense to beat the Tigers 45-27 Friday to advance to today’s state title game against Colfax (20-3) at 8 p.m.

“It’s new every time we play them,” said La Salle junior Savannah Bonny, who has never played in a state tournament without facing the Tigers (22-5). “We knew they were going to come out hard, come out strong and try and stop us. Last year they beat us and took away our chance at a state (title) and we just wanted a chance to get that back as a team.”

Nothing came easy for either team, especially in the first half, with the Lightning leading at intermission 18-12.  During the opening two quarters, the Lightning shot just 5 of 17 from the floor with Bonny and senior Alicia Ashby held in check with two points apiece.

“They were packing it in and cutting out our penetration,” Bonny said. “Napavine is a great defensive team, that’s what they do. We just have to slow it down and work our offense.”

The slow start of the first half was quickly forgotten as the teams reconvened for the third quarter, as Bonny and Ashby combined to score LaSalle’s first 10 points of the frame.

The 10-2 scoring spurt lasted just 2:20 but it gave the Lightning a commanding 14-point lead that reenergized the rest of the team, according to coach Alyssa Goins.

“Napavine has a tendency to start their third quarter with a big run,” she said. “Our kids wanted to come out with a lot of energy and so our seniors stepped up and made some big shots.”

Bonny had sat out a large portion of the first half with foul trouble and made up for it by scoring nine of her team-leading 11 points after the break. Ashby upped her total from two in the opening half to seven by game’s end, adding a team-high three steals.

Taking the cue from Ashby, the Lightning finished with nine steals, forcing 21 total turnovers. Those miscues by Napavine led to 16 La Salle points.

“The key for us to be successful starts with our defensive pressure, and being able to create some turnovers and create some chaos,” Goins said.

The Lightning were looking to do more than just force turnovers though, as they held the Tigers to 36 shots. The Tigers managed just 30.6 percent from the floor, led by Demi Sahlinger’s seven points.

La Salle will look to keep that same defensive intensity that has held three tournament opponents to an average of 30.3 points in today’s state title game.

“We’re pumped,” said Bonny who saw La Salle win the title against Napavine in 2008. “We want a shot at that gold ball and we’re going to do whatever we can to get it.”

— By JUSTIN CHARTREY/For the Yakima Herald-Republic