By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last night, the Ingraham Rams defeated the Rainier Beach Lady Vikings, 48-42, in a hard-fought Metro League battle.
The game opened with quick possessions by both teams, and Ingraham’s Hayden Stilwell wasted no time putting points on the board. Stilwell scored the Rams’ first bucket and later converted 1-of-2 free throws. Meanwhile, Rainier Beach countered with solid rebounding from Nayloni Matthews and a confident three-pointer from Marsha Michael Makelfa.
The Lady Vikings, behind the efforts of Matthews, Linda Chollette, and M’Bouilee Sidibe, built a 10-3 lead with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Despite the score, the Rams continued to work hard to narrow the gap. Stilwell added two points off an assist from Helena Dahlberg, narrowing the gap to 10-5. A pair of trips to the free-throw line in the final seconds brought the quarter to a close at 11-8, with Rainier Beach holding a slim lead.
The second quarter saw the Rams quickly tie the game as Stilwell drained a three-pointer. Moments later, Ingraham’s Taitum Stevens drew a foul, sinking one of two free throws to give the Rams their first lead at 12-11. Rainier Beach responded immediately, with C.J. Willis converting from the line to tie the game again at 12-12.
The two teams battled back and forth, taking turns trying to command the game. Matthews’ mid-range jumper pushed the Lady Vikings ahead 14-12, only for Stilwell to respond with a shot of her own. The Lady Vikings, behind the efforts of Chollette and Sidibe, went on a 5-0 run to give them a 19-14 lead just minutes before the end of the first half.
Determined not to let the Lady Vikings get too far out of reach, the Rams’ Lisa Johnson, Zeiva Sussman, and Naomi Dunne-Loper combined for six points in the final two minutes, giving Ingraham a one-point halftime lead at 23-22.
The second half opened with Matthews sinking a three-pointer to reclaim the lead for Rainier Beach at 25-23. The Rams quickly fought back with a two-point shot and two trips to the free-throw line by Sussman, taking a 27-25 lead midway through the third quarter.
Sidibe then blocked a three-point shot attempt by Stilwell, but the Rams’ Jaylah Jackson quickly followed with a jump shot to extend their lead to 29-25. Matthews connected on a three-point shot for the Lady Vikings late in the quarter, but Ingraham’s Dunne-Loper scored five points, giving the Rams a 34-29 lead heading into the final quarter.
The final quarter was just as fast-paced as the first half of the game. The score flip-flopped back and forth, with either the Lady Vikings or Rams leading by two points. Sidibe and Makelfa combined for seven points, while Sussman and Stilwell added four points, bringing the score to 40-38 as the Rams led with three minutes left in the game.
The final three minutes showcased rapid exchanges, with great offensive and defensive efforts from Matthews and Makelfa, and Dunne-Loper and Sussman, keeping the score neck and neck until the very end.
To close out the game, Ingraham’s Letty Senan was sent to the line as she was fouled on a three-point attempt but was unable to convert any points. However, Sussman got the rebound off the final shot and put it back up for a quick two points, as the Rams secured a 48-42 victory over the Lady Vikings.
After the game, Ingraham Head Girls Basketball Coach Jasmin Aina was proud of the way her team battled to the very end of the game.
“I anticipated a close, competitive matchup given our teams’ similar records and recent performances, and tonight’s game certainly delivered,” said Aina. “Rainier Beach got off to a strong start, staying consistent throughout the game by mixing up their defensive schemes, capitalizing on perimeter shots, and earning trips to the free-throw line.”
“In the second half, we made key adjustments, improving our rebounding on both ends, maintaining greater defensive discipline, and finding ways to score both inside and beyond the arc. I’m incredibly proud of my players’ hustle, effort, and mental toughness as they fought their way back into the game,” she added. “It was a hard-fought battle for all 32 minutes, and we were fortunate to get the win in the end.”
