By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
The Lakeside Lions (15-2) had a rocky start in their matchup against the Bonney Lake Panthers (19-13), but ultimately secured a 61-45 victory, earning their spot in the 3A state tournament next week at the Tacoma Dome.
Both teams demonstrated excellent defense, with the score tied at 2-2 for the majority of the first quarter. Bonney Lake’s Jazmyn Shipp, Ava Rice, and Evin Elias led a 7-0 run, swinging the momentum in favor of the Panthers. Lakeside’s Lucy Ackerman halted the Panthers’ momentum with a jump shot, bringing the score to 4-9. This left the Lions trailing by 7 points heading into the second quarter, after a near buzzer-beater shot by Rice.
The first 40 seconds of the second quarter brought a surge of high intensity to the gym, as Shipp, Elias, and Lakeside’s Mia Broom exchanged consecutive three-point shots. Following this trio, Lakeside began to take more control of the game, creating a 7-0 run led by Broom and junior Josie Albrecht, cutting the Panthers’ lead to 14-19.
Broom gave a standout performance, scoring 20 points in the second quarter. She was relentless, scoring from nearly everywhere on the court and earning trips to the free-throw line after being fouled while shooting on multiple occasions. Her efforts led the Lions to a well-deserved 33-26 lead at halftime.
During the third quarter, Bonney Lake, with four points from Shipp, started strong. However, Broom and Ackerman quickly added their own baskets for the Lions. The quick points from Broom and Ackerman prompted Bonney Lake to call a 30-second timeout to regroup. Nonetheless, the Lions maintained strong defense throughout the quarter, outscoring the Panthers 13-8.
In the final quarter, Lakeside extended their lead with multiple three-point shots from Broom, freshman Anvi Bhatia, and Ackerman. Numerous fouls were called on Bonney Lake as they attempted to extend the game. Broom, taking most of Lakeside’s free throws in the fourth quarter, made all her attempts.
The Lions maintained their dominance on the court against the defensive and offensive efforts of Shipp and Rice. Despite great efforts and strategic plays by Bonney Lake to try and make a comeback, including a three-point play by Shipp, the Lions secured their victory over the Panthers.
Despite not achieving the outcome she had hoped for, Bonney Lake Girls Basketball Head Coach Kim Peters is ready to work as her team prepares for the next round of the state tournament. “We didn’t take care of the ball this game, and if we had, we would have been great,” said Peters. “We just have to do a better job and prepare for our next game,” she added.
With this victory, Lakeside advances to the quarterfinals at the Tacoma Dome, just two games away from the 3A State Championship Game. Meanwhile, Bonney Lake will face Lincoln (Tacoma) in a loser-out game on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 5:30 pm at the Tacoma Dome.
Pictorial Highlights of Lakeside vs. Bonney Lake
