SALEM, Ore. – In a game of runs, it was the Corban Warriors holding on for a 66-63 win over the Evergreen Geoducks in a Cascade Conference women’s basketball game on Friday night at C.E. Jeffers Sports Center in Salem, Ore.
Corban jumped out to the early lead as the Geoducks found themselves trailing by 12 points at 21-9 with 10:35 to go in the first half but Evergreen fought back. A 12-0 run by Evergreen put the green-clad visitors up by three points with 2:34 to go in the opening period. Corban went on a short run to retake the lead heading into the break, up 33-29.
In the second half, Evergreen opened the period with five-straight points to take a one-point lead as the two teams looked like they would go back and forth the rest of the night. Corban took advantage of a free throw disparity, as well as strong shooting from the field, to make the Geoducks work but Evergreen hit baskets when they needed to stay within reach.
With six minutes left to play, Corban used a seven-point wing to pull ahead by six as the Warriors looked destined to get the win. Evergreen cut the gap to one-point on a layup by Sadee Jones (Belfair, Wash./North Mason HS) with 1:25 to play. Corban hit a jumper with 7.3 seconds left to push the lead back to three points and the shot by Sammi Clark (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS/Edmonds CC) fell short as Corban took the 66-63 win.
Evergreen was led by 16 points each from Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) and Brittany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC). Clark finished with 15 points while Jones added 12 points for the Geoducks. Evergreen outrebounded the Warriors, 37-32, on the night.
Corban was led by 16 points from Tara Vanweerdhuizen. Julia Young added 14 points in the win while Katherine Salness finished with 10 points, six of which came from the charity stripe. The Warriors shot 52.4% on the night, making 22 of 42 attempts from the field.
The Geoducks will play for the final time in 2013 on Saturday night when they visit Northwest Christian. Tip with the Beacons is set for 5:30 p.m. at Morse Event Center in Eugene, Ore.