Mount Si girls basketball team picks up summer learning lessons
July 23, 2009
By Staff
Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad. The entire time, however, it was an experience.
The Mount Si girls basketball team finished off its summer with a trip to Spokane for the Gonzaga Tournament July 16-18. The Wildcats returned with a varied mix of results, having three games go down to the wire and another two end up in blowouts.
The tournament began with a match against Shadle Park, who was the Class 3A state runner-up a year ago. Even though Mount Si was short three starters, the Wildcats still nearly pulled off the upset.
Mount Si’s Traci Nelson goes in for a layup last season.
Shadle Park led by 10 points with four minutes to play, but Mount Si rallied to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining. Despite having chances to take the lead in the final seconds, the Wildcats still lost, 50-49. Traci Nelson led the way for Mount Si with 18 points and eight rebounds.
That inspiring effort was followed by a pair of flat efforts, as the Wildcats lost to Central Valley 39-16 and Coeur d’ Alene 49-16. Mount Si trailed Central Valley by only 10 points at the break, before falling apart in the second half. Against Coeur d’ Alene, the Wildcats never had a chance, falling behind 31-1 at one point to the defending Idaho state champions.
Despite a two-point halftime lead, Mount Si then fell to Judge Memorial from Utah, 37-27.
Playing for sixth place, the Wildcats finally got on track against Billings West. Mount Si led by six points in the fourth period, but Billings West rallied in the final seconds and had two would-be game-winners come up short, as the Wildcats held on for a one-point win. Sarah McDonald had 13 points and seven rebounds in the contest, before fouling out with three minutes to play.
“Overall, it was a learning experience for the team,” Tom McDonald, who coached the team during the weekend, said in an e-mail. “There was very tough competition that overwhelmed us at times.”
The varsity team was without newly hired head coach Megan Marson for the entire tournament, as well as Karly Thompson, Aubrey Larion and Sarah McDonald for the first game.
The Mount Si junior varsity squad also competed at the tournament and finished 2-3, winning against Coeur d’ Alene and Deer Park.
The sports staff at the SnoValley Star can be reached at 392-6434 or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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