LONGVIEW — The Washougal Panthers were so close Monday night to clinching a berth to the state girls basketball tournament, the regional round anyway.
Now, they have to win two in a row to get there.
The Black Hills Wolves put on a defensive display in the fourth quarter in the semifinals of the Class 2A District 4 girls basketball tournament, holding Washougal to four fourth-quarter points in a 49-44 victory.
Black Hills (19-3) will take on Mark Morris for the district title. Both of those teams also have qualified for the state regional round of 16.
Washougal (17-5), co-league champs with Mark Morris in the 2A Greater St. Helens League, will face W.F. West on Wednesday in an elimination game. If the Panthers win that, they will play for third place and the district’s final berth to state.
“We blew it. Plain and simple,” Washougal coach Brian Oberg said. “We started missing a few shots and got tighter, tighter, and tighter.”
Washougal led by as many as 11 points early in the third quarter but then could not find much offense. Sure, some were the missed shots, but Oberg also credited the Wolves.
“They just outplayed us down the stretch. They just got it done, and we didn’t,” he said.
Maisy Williams had three of her team’s four blocked shots in that final quarter for Black Hills.
RaeAnn Allen’s steal and lay-up with 7:35 to play in the fourth quarter and her jumper with 2:21 to play were the only Washougal points in the period. The Panthers were 2 for 17 from the floor in the final eight minutes.
“When we start shooting the ball bad, we get a glazed look on the faces and can’t get out of our own way,” Oberg said. “It’s a mental thing.
“Poor shooting in the third and fourth quarters completely destroyed us.”
Black Hills was not exactly shooting lights out, but the Wolves kept getting more opportunities thanks to their offensive rebounding. The Wolves scored six in a row in the fourth quarter off of second-chance points.
Emma Duff led Black Hills with 19 points. Lindsey Nurmi added 11. Williams had 11 rebounds to go with her eight points and that defense.
Beyonce Bea and Allen led Washougal with 11 points apiece. Bea had a double-double, grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds. Alyssa Blankenship had eight points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists for the Panthers.
BLACK HILLS 49, WASHOUGAL 44
WASHOUGAL — Maggie Hungerford 4, Beyonce Bea 11, Lindsey Thomas 0, RaeAnn Allen 11, Kiara Cross 0, Kaitlyn Reijonen 2, Alissa Lenczowski 8, Alyssa Blankenship 8, Kayla Donahue 0. Totals 18 (1) 7-12 44.
BLACK HILLS — Maisy Williams 8, Sammi Payne 3, Emma Duff 19, Lindsey Nurmi 11, Kayley Maloney 6, Rachel LaBelle 2, Taylor Patti 0. Totals 18 (3) 10-20 49.
Washougal 15 15 10 4–44
Black Hills 10 11 17 11–49
