Gonzaga Prep keeps passing loser-out tests, including one against Sumner in WIAA Class 4A girls basketball tournament
TACOMA - Gillian Bears, a 6-foot-3 junior, scored eight of her 18 points in the third quarter as Gonzaga Prep pulled away for a 64-55 victory over Sumner in a Class 4A first-round, loser-out state tournament game on Wednesday in the Tacoma Dome.
The 12th-seeded Bullpups survived their fifth consecutive loser-out contest by outplaying the fifth-seeded Spartans down the stretch.
"We lost in the first round of district, so we had to come through the loser’s bracket," Gonzaga Prep girls coach Geoff Arte said. “It’s a good couple of weeks to get hot. For us, it’s more just when we come back in the lockerroom after 32 minutes, we want to make sure we played a game we can be proud of win or lose.”
Bears added 10 points and two blocked shots and cause problems in the middle of the Gonzaga Prep defense.
Senior guard Taliah Lee led the Bullpups (19-7) with 19 points, six rebounds and six assistss and powered them back in the state quarterfinals for the first time since the program won back-to-back state titles in 2014 and 2015. Lucy Lynn, another senior guard, added 17 points.
“In March, you just want to play good basketball, and the rest will kind of take care of itself,” Arte said. “(Bears) was super tough tonight. They were kind of fronting her and she was finishing well around the rim and being strong. Our guards did a good job of getting her the ball and being patient.”
Sumner, led by the 20 points of freshman Olivia Collins, finished the season 21-7 and in search of the school’s first state title. The Spartans reached the 4A title game last season and lost to Woodinville 65-63 in that game.
The Bullpups took control with a 12-5 run early in the second quarter and opened a 29-23 lead on Olivia McIntyre’s driving layin with 2:04 left in the first half.
Lynn tallied 13 points before halftime, hitting 6 of 9 shots from the floor for Gonzaga Prep.
Gonzaga Prep now faces No. 3 seed Tahoma (22-3) in Thursday’s 4A state quarterfinal game at 7:15 p.m.
