The Skyview Storm are used to winning Class 4A Greater St. Helens League girls basketball games.
They are not necessarily used to winning close 4A GSHL games.
“It was definitely more fun, but it was definitely stressful,” said Sydney Friauf, who scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter as Skyview held off Union 43-39 Friday night.
“It really pushed us to play hard and get in the game,” Kirsten Johnson added. “It was a good battle. Can’t wait to play them again.”
Skyview is gunning for it’s seventh consecutive league title and have been to state two of the past three years, winning the championship in 2012.
Union, trailing by 13 at the half, held Skyview to two points in the third quarter to make it close. The Titans were within two points on four consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter but could not crack the Storm defense.
Friauf’s first basket of the quarter gave the Storm (8-3, 3-0 GSHL) a 32-28 lead. After Grace Davis scored for Union, Johnson swished her third 3-pointer of the game for a five-point advantage.
Later, the Storm defense forced a shot-clock violation, and Genevieve Lo scored to make it 39-32 with three minutes to play.
The Titans (4-7, 2-2) would manage to get it down to a four-point game with 52 seconds to play, but no team scored after that.
Davis had nine of her team-high 13 points in the fourth quarter. Sarah Trostle made three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points for the Titans.
Friauf went 5 for 6 from the floor for her 10 points. She also had eight rebounds. Lo also scored 10 for the Storm. Johnson had nine points. Ashlee Comastro handled the middle of the defense for Skyview. She had three blocked shots and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Skyview scored 18 points in the second quarter, making four of its last five 3-pointers of the half to go up 27-14.
Then it was a 12-2 Union third quarter.
“We just had to keep up the energy and really pump it up,” Johnson said. “Play like we were behind.”
Friauf and Johnson said it was simple instruction from the coaching staff.
“Keep up the intensity,” Friauf said.
“But relaxed intensity,” Johnson said.
After all, it is fun playing in close games, the Storm said. Even if it got a little closer than they would have preferred.
SKYVIEW 43, UNION 39
UNION — Grace Davis 13, Katherine Williams 2, Kili Anderson 7, Abby Forsythe 4, Sarah Trostel 11, Mailia Aguigui 0, Courtney Cranston 2, Michelle Chin 0, Emily Takayoshi 0. Totals 14-42 (6-14) 5-10 39.
SKYVIEW — Hannahjoy Adams 7, Sydney Friauf 10, Genevieve Lo 10, Kirsten Johnson 9, Ashlee Comastro 3, Riley Friauf 0, Hannah VanNortwick 4, Maddie Lord 0. Totals 16-44 (6-14) 5-11 43.
Union 9 5 12 13—39
Skyview 9 18 2 14—43
