LA CENTER — Late in the regular season, Andrea Griffee went through a bit of a shooting slump. But the La Center guard didn’t sulk, didn’t panic.
Being a fourth-year varsity player certainly helped her to maintain focus and confidence. So, too, did reminders from coaches that the next shot would go in.
But what really kept Griffee from worrying about her shot was the understanding that defensive effort is the foundation of success for herself and for her team.
That commitment is one of the reasons a youthful group of Wildcats find themselves in the state regional playoffs — and the reason La Center last week won the District 4 championship. Griffee, Shelby Vermeulen and Ashley Denney are the only seniors on a team that has been led offensively by sophomore post Taylor Mills and freshman guard Taylor Stephens while several other sophomores have significant roles.
Griffee said the young players quickly bought into the demands of bringing consistent effort.
“They love the game as much as we do,” she said.
Griffee’s love for basketball started when she was in the third grade, playing in the community education program and following in the footsteps of sister Rebecca and brother Jonathan. After playing point guard in middle school, she shifted to shooting guard as a high school freshman.
When she talks about players she admires, among the players Griffee names are NBA stars Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry. In addition to obvious talent, Griffee said Lillard and Curry “worked hard for what they’ve accomplished and it kind of pushes me to work harder.”
Griffee said last season’s playoff run — the Wildcats lost close games in the district finals and then in the state regionals in 2015 — has helped the team in this postseason. Personally, Griffee hit three big 3-pointers during an 11-0 run that nearly rallied the Wildcats in last season’s regional.
“Last year showed us what to expect. We know we have to work hard and the (opposing) teams get better as you go along,” she said.
Griffee said she was optimistic entering the season, and that some success against larger schools at a holiday tournament at Evergreen High School was key to the maturation of the squad.
The Wildcats lost to Benson of Portland, a team that finished second in the Portland Interscholastic League, then beat Roosevelt of Portland and Parkrose.
One thing that tournament did, Griffee said, was demonstrate how deep the Wildcats are in spite of how young most of their players are.
“I feel that we don’t have a starting team.” Griffee said. “Our bench could start and we would still have the intensity that we need to win.”
While Griffee is one of three Wildcat starters who averages more than 10 points a game, reserve guard Molly Edwards, a sophomore, is the team’s fourth highest scorer.
Coach Herm VanWeerdhuizen said Griffee, along with Vermeulen and Denney, has done a good job of leading by example and encouraging an inclusive culture.
“She has a toughness out there that sometimes people don’t see,” VanWeerdhuizen said. “She’s not the strongest kid, but she works so hard that it rubs off on the rest of the team.”
