With sufficient weaponry to win a pair of shootouts, the Grays Harbor College women completed a perfect record in their crossover tournament.
Erupting for 76 points in the final three quarters, the Chokers rallied for 90-84 conquest of Linn-Benton Community College on the second day of the Grays Harbor College Crossover Women’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the GHC gym.
The Chokers then completed the round-robin tourney with an 84-80 overtime win over Spokane on Sunday. Grays Harbor improved its season record to 8-1.
SATURDAY
GH 90, Linn-Benton 84
Alexia Thrower and Sandin Kidder scored 25 points apiece as the Chokers survived 16 three-point baskets by Linn-Benton (4-6) — a team better known for its inside game than perimeter shooting.
Even more incredibly considering their final total, the Chokers didn’t shoot particularly well for the opening 15 minutes. But when they turned up the offensive heat, they kept it on high for the remainder of a fast-paced contest that included 149 field-goal attempts.
They closed out the first half by making 8 of their final 10 shots, then connected at a 54 percent rate from the floor in the second half.
“We have to find a way to play a little better defense and not just hope our offense shows up,” GHC coach Chad Allan said. “But when our offense shows up, we can outscore a lot of other people.”
The late first-half run proved particularly critical.
Down by as many as 11, the Chokers trailed 38-29 with less than three minutes remaining in the half.
A rare five-point play highlighted a spurt of 12 successive GHC points. Angela Sikora knocked down a 3-pointer and teammate Isabel Hernandez was fouled away from the ball while the shot was in the air. Hernandez made both free throws and Sikora followed with another triple to stunningly put Grays Harbor in front at 41-38.
Hernandez’s layin to end the third quarter enabled the Chokers to take a 69-67 lead into the final stanza. But Thrower, the NWAC’s leading scorer at 28.4 points per game, was on the bench with four fouls as the period opened.
Kidder, a freshman from Anchorage, Alaska, and sophomore guard Estelle Wilson helped pick up the slack while Thrower was sidelined. They scored eight points apiece in the fourth quarter.
The Chokers never trailed in the final period.
Wilson finished with 18 points. The Chokers also received some productive play off the bench from Hoquiam High alum Hernandez, who wound up with eight points.
Combining for 12 of Linn-Benton’s threes, Courtney Landis and Kelsie Henry paced the Roadrunners with 24 and 21 points, respectively.
SUNDAY
Chokers 84, Sasquatch 80
Thrower tallied 33 points and Kidder 28 to lead a Choker comeback from a six-point deficit after one quarter. The former hit 14 of 25 field-goal attempts, while Kidder was 11 of 20 from the floor.
Wilson pulled down 10 rebounds.
The Chokers will compete in the Skagit Valley Invitational Dec. 28-30.
Linn-Benton 23 17 27 17 — 84
GHC 14 27 28 21 — 90
Linn-Benton (84) — Oakden 14, Landis 24, Henry 21, Wells 5, Bronson 15, Schiavone, Thielman 4, Ely 1. FG — 28-69 (.406). FT — 12-16.
Grays Harbor (90) — Brisbois 3, Wilson 18, Thrower 25, Sikora 9, Kidder 25, Hernandez 8, Feaster 2, Sunchild. FG — 38-80 (.475). FT — 8-9.
GHC 15 22 19 16 12 — 84
Spokane 21 16 22 13 8 — 80
Grays Harbor (84) — Brisbois 4, Wilson 9, Thrower 33, Sikora 3, Kidder 28, Feaster 2, Sunchild 3, Hernandez 2.
Spokane (80) — Graham 17, Mongeon 8, Mongoyak 17, Olson 22, Swannack 7, Blair 7, French, Talo 2.
(Photo by Bob Hitt) Alexia Thrower finishes through contact against Linn-Benton on Saturday. Thrower finished with 25 points in the contest.
