YAKIMA – Before his team’s second 9 a.m. game in as many days, Washougal girls basketball coach Brian Oberg offered some extra motivation for his players.
Win on Friday and they would all go to Dutch Bros. for coffee after the game.
Baristas rejoice. Washougal beat Anacortes 43-32 to clinch a top-six finish at the Class 2A state basketball tournament at the SunDome.
Dubbed the Cardiac Cats after winning three straight overtime games to reach the quarterfinals, Washougal can now be called the Coffee Cats. Another early game awaits the Panthers on Saturday.
Washougal (21-6) will play at 8 a.m. against Black Hills, which beat the Panthers in the district tournament 49-45. The winner claims a fourth-place trophy, the other finishes sixth.
Playing in its first state tournament since 1983, Washougal on Friday clinched its highest placing in school history.
“I knew we had the talent and the ability,” senior Alyssa Blankenship said. “But just to be here is a whole other feeling.”
Blankenship led all scorers with 19 points. Her biggest shots came from behind the 3-point line early in the fourth quarter.
With Washougal leading 29-23, she hit back-to-back 3-pointers to stretch the lead to 12 points. Anacortes pulled within 35-29, but a third straight 3-pointer by Blankenship put Washougal back up by nine with 3:56 to play.
The Panthers then closed out the victory with defense. Anacortes (17-9) did not score in the final 2:22 of the game.
“Not the prettiest game overall, but it was a team we felt would struggle to match up against us,” Oberg said. “They did, especially in the fourth quarter.”
Washougal struggled to set up its defense in a 59-42 quarterfinal loss to Shorecrest on Thursday. Friday, the Panthers got back to what they do best.
Washougal’s frenetic, full-court defense forced 26 Anacortes turnovers. The Seahawks shot just 14.3 percent (3 for 21) from the field in the first half, which ended with Washougal ahead 23-12.
“Our defensive intensity was awesome,” Blankenship said. “We killed it. I couldn’t be more proud of my team.”
Beyonce Bea scored seven points in the first quarter, which ended with Washougal ahead 15-7. The 5-foot-11 freshman scored in the paint, seeking out contact instead of trying fadeaway shots.
“We came out with that winning attitude,” said Bea, who had 10 points and six rebounds. “We were aggressive from the beginning, got ahead and that gave us our confidence. We went on from there.”
WASHOUGAL 43, ANACORTES 32
WASHOUGAL (21-6) – Maggie Hungerford 1, Beyonce Bea 10, Lindsey Thomas 4, RaeAnn Allen 4, Alyssa Blankenship 19, Ashley Gibbons 0, Kiara Cross 0, Katilyn Reijonen 2, Alissa Lenczowski 0, Sierra Carroll 3. Totals 12 (5) 14-25 43.
ANACORTES (17-9) – Maddy Hance 8, Clare Martin 4, Brooke Geffe 7, Gabby Ronngren 8, Alexandra Aldridge 0, Nicole McInerney 0, Erin Huffstodt 0, Sally Vaux 0, Olivia White 0, Taylor Mathis 1, Baylee South 0, Melissa Frein 4. Totals 11 (1) 9-12 32.
Washougal 15 9 5 14 — 43
Anacortes 7 5 11 9 — 32
