PUYALLUP – The Union girls basketball team didn’t care it was the lowest seed of the 16 teams in the Class 4A girls basketball state tournament.
The Titans weren’t bothered about facing Todd Beamer, a Federal Way team that beat them by 24 points in the bi-district tournament.
And Union didn’t mind that it has only two seniors and was playing its first state tournament game.
Union put all that aside Friday at Puyallup High School, beating No. 9 seeded Todd Beamer 48-37 in the regional round of the state tournament.
Now the Titans are headed to the Tacoma Dome. Union will face either league rival Camas or top-ranked Central Valley on Wednesday.
Not that Union will be fazed by being among the last 12 teams in the state tournament. The Titans won their third loser-out game of the postseason on Friday.
“It’s crazy how scary young teams can be,” Union coach Mike Cranston said. “They kind of just don’t know any better.”
Sophomore guard Mackenzie Lewis scored a game-high 20 points. Six of those came in the final six minutes as Union gradually extended a 34-33 lead. She made both free throws in a one-and-one to put the Titans ahead 43-37 with 1:17 to play.
From there, Union’s defense put the game away. Todd Beamer (20-6) had just one field goal in the final four minutes.
“We took it minute by minute,” said Courtney Cranston, one of two Union seniors. “We had to dig down deep. We wanted to get to the Dome, so we were going to do whatever it took.”
Lewis made three of her team’s four 3-pointers, including buzzer beater to put the Titans up 34-29 after three quarters. She consistently made important shots in a game where Union mostly held a narrow lead.
“My teammates were able to get me the ball when I was open,” she said. “They switched on screens so I was able to have a mismatch and take it to the hole. My whole team made it happen for me.”
Union (18-7) has made six trips to the Tacoma area since the bi-district tournament began Feb. 8. Friday, the Titans shut down a team that beat them 69-45 on Feb. 15.
“We knew what we had to do,” Mike Cranston said. “We had a similar gameplan. We just didn’t execute as well as we wanted to. It’s a testament to the girls buying into the coaches’ gameplan and sticking with the plan.”
Defensively, Union opted to focus on Todd Beamer’s frontcourt, especially 6-foot-1 Makenzie Bond, who was held to 10 points. Todd Beamer instead tried to attack from outside, but only made three 3-pointers.
Union also won the physical battle, outrebounding Todd Beamer.
“We were tough,” Mike Cranston said. “It was a physical, nasty game.”
The coach said his team’s least favorite school color is gray. That’s because, until this season, his team’s banner in the gym that lists state tournament appearances was just a blank gray square.
No more.
“It means so much,” Courtney Cranston said. “As a girls team we’ve never made it to the dome. We’ve worked so hard to get there, and now the hard work is paying off.”
UNION 48, TODD BEAMER 37
UNION – Alexis Raymore 3, McKenna Vega 0, Mason Oberg 4, Rebekah Barney 8, Abbey Kaip 7, Madison Mackay 0, Mackenzie Lewis 20, Courtney Crantson 6, Lilly Caplice 0, Kaneyl Carpenter 0, Lolo Weatherspoon 0. Totals 18 (4) 8-12 48.
TODD BEAMER – Adriana Banks 0, Chasity Spady 12, Halo Parks 6, Jayoscia Sears 0, Najahia Forks 3, Aaliayah Alexander 6, Brooklyn Humphrey 0, Matasina Childress 0, Makenzie Bond 10. Totals 14 (3) 6-10 36.
Union 10 12 12 14—48
Todd Beamer 9 13 7 8—37
