The Lummi Nation girls basketball team had one goal all season and with its 38-35 victory over Yakama Tribal in the Class 1B state tournament Friday afternoon, March 6, it was mission accomplished.
The win guaranteed the Lady Blackhawks their first state trophy since taking fourth in 2009. And this year’s group will get a chance to match that when it faces seventh-seeded Pateros on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in the Spokane Arena.
“This means everything to me as a coach,” said Lummi Nation coach David James, whose eighth-seeded team raised its record to 22-5. “I’ve seen how hard these girls have worked all season to get to this point. Playing on Saturday for a trophy is something special.”
For coverage of all of our Whatcom teams’ state games, click on State Games.
The winner of Saturday’s consolation game will earn fourth place and the loser sixth. But the number didn’t matter that much to James.
“Whether it’s fourth or sixth place, having a chance to bring home our program’s first state trophy since 2009 means a lot to all of us.”
After losing a heart-breaker to No.2 Garfield-Palouse in Thursday night’s quafterfinal, the Lady Blackhawks bounced back Friday by shutting down the fourth-seeded Eagles’ offense, holding the team from Toppenish to its lowest point total of the season.
After a 9-9 deadlock after one quarter, Lummi Nation held Yakama to four points in the second period to go up by seven at the half. The Blackhawks stretched the margin to nine entering the final period and held on despite a late Yakama rally.
“We had control for most of the game,” said James. “The girls stayed consistent and composed. They understood what was on the line — a chance to play for a trophy tomorrow.”
In the defensive battle, points were hard to come by for both teams. The Blackhawks got an offensive spark from eighth-grader Jordy Reeder, who was injured in Thursday’s loss but came back on Friday to lead the team with 13 points and two of Lummi’s three 3-pointers.
Junior Jemma James finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds, senior Ailina Rabang had 7 points and 9 rebounds, and senior Brianna Metteba had 5 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. James and Rabang led the ball-hawking Blackhawks defense with 8 and 5 steals, respectively, as Lummi Nation forced 23 fturnovers.
The Blackhawks will not only get a chance to make history — a fourth-place trophy would equal their highest ever — but also get a little revenge on Saturday. Their opponent, Pateros, knocked Lummi Nation out of the playoffs last year.
Yakama Tribal, which finished the year at 24-5, was making its fourth trip to state and is still looking to earn its first-ever trophy.
Lummi Nation 38, Yakama Tribal 35
Lummi Nation 9 11 13 5—38
Yakama Tribal 9 4 11 11—35
Lummi Nation: J. James 8, Rabang 7, B. Metteba 5, Reeder 13, Dennis 4, Lajuan, C. James 1.
Yakama Tribal: Kreis-Huereca 4 , P. Thomas 5, Sampson 3, George 4, Stahl, Cloud, Wyena 4, Trujillo Walsey 7, T. Thomas, Onepennee, Lara 8.
CLASS 1B GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT
At Numerica Veterans Arena (Spokane Arena)
Wednesday, March 4
Crosspoint Christian 53, Liberty Christian 44 (loser out)
Pateros 59, Pe Ell 45 (loser out)
Yakama Tribal 50, Pomeroy 39 (loser out)
Lummi Nation 56, Almira-Coulee-Hartline 48 (loser out)
Thursday, March 5
Oakesdale 55, Crosspoint Christian 36
Neah Bay 55, Pateros 26
Waterville-Mansfield 65, Yakama Tribal 51
Garfield-Palouse 41, Lummi Nation 33
Friday, March 6
Pateros 62, Crosspoint Christian 55 (loser out)
Lummi Nation 38, Yakama Tribal 35 (loser out)
Neah Bay 56, Oakesdale 23
Garfield-Palouse 43, Waterville-Mansfield 42
Saturday, March 7
#7 Pateros (19-8) vs. #8 Lummi Nation (23-5), 9:30 a.m. (winner fourth, loser sixth)
#5 Oakesdale (22-4) vs. #3 Waterville-Mansfield (19-6), 1 p.m. (winner third, loser fifth)
#1 Neah Bay (24-2) vs. #2 Garfield Palouse (24-2), 9 p.m. (winner first, loser second)
