While Montesano dropped a game at home against Black Hills earlier in the week, the girls rebounded with a win a Friday, Dec. 16, against Tumwater.

Bulldogs 60, Tumwater 36

Despite a slow start, Montesano built a double-digit lead by halftime and rolled to victory over Tumwater in a non-league game on Friday, Dec. 16.

The Bulldogs (5-1) missed their first six foul shots and trailed 5-0 early in the first quarter, but Montesano’s defensive pressure gave Tumwater fits at times and allowed the Bulldogs to go on a 15-4 run at the end of the quarter. Montesano didn’t give back the lead on its way to victory.

“We got off to a slow start,” Monte coach Julie Graves said. “The girls rebounded well and got after it on defense. Hannah Quinn got into the game and made some things happen on the defensive end. It was a very physical game. We are happy to get out of there with a convincing win.”

The Bulldogs were led by double-doubles from seniors Shayla Floch and Jordan Spradlin. Floch finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Spradlin added 22 points and 19 rebounds.

At home

Taking control with a run of 15 successive points midway through the first half, Class 2A power Black Hills topped the Bulldogs, 64-52, in a non-league girls basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 13, at Bo Griffith Memorial Gym.

The previously unbeaten Bulldogs, ranked eighth among state 1A teams by the Tacoma News-Tribune, can take consolation in the fact that they are unlikely to face many tougher foes even in postseason play.

Returning several starters from a team that placed sixth in the state 2A tournament last season, the Wolves (4-0) were rated fourth in last week’s News-Tribune’s 2A poll.

Starting three 6-footers, Black Hills would have created match-up problems for the Bulldogs strictly with their size. But they also ran the floor well, committed only eight turnovers and shot very well from the perimeter.

Hitting their first three field-goal attempts, the Wolves shot 53 percent from the field in the first half before cooling off to a concluding 41 percent percentage.

“I probably should have made a defensive adjustment earlier,” Graves said. “Black Hills shot lights out and it wasn’t just one kid.”

Emma Duff, an agile 6-foot wing, led a quartet of double-figure Black Hills scorers with 18 points. Junior guard Lindsey Nurmi added 16 points for the visitors.

Although largely denied the ball in Monte’s half-court offense by Black Hills’ zone defense, Bulldog standout Spradlin made her presence felt on the offensive glass. She pulled down 19 rebounds, 11 of them on the offensive end, and frequently drew fouls on the putbacks.

The 6-foot-1 senior made 13 of 19 free throws in leading all scorers with 23 points. Senior wing Josie Toyra contributed 11 points for the Bulldogs.

As a team, the Bulldogs were an excellent 21 of 29 from the foul line. But shooting only 23 percent from the field, they were limited to three 2-point field goals in the first three quarters.

Toyra nailed a trio of 3-point shots in the opening five minutes to give Montesano a handful of early leads. The Bulldogs were on top, 13-11, when Spradlin canned two free throws with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter.

Monte, however, didn’t score again until the 4:54 mark of the second period. Black Hills reserve Rachel LaBelle, meanwhile, closed out the first quarter with a 3-pointer and Nurmi opened the second stanza with a pair of three-balls to give the Wolves a 26-13 advantage. It was 37-23 at the half.

The Bulldogs (4-1) had the satisfaction of outscoring the Wolves in the second half in a game in which both teams played their starters until the end.

Staying afloat from the foul line (they were 13-of-16 from the stripe in the third quarter alone), they crept to within nine, at 53-44, when Shayla Floch connected from the baseline with 5:50 remaining in the contest.

Duff, however, responded with the next six points to seal the triumph.

“Once we got behind, we competed and never quit,” Graves noted. “That’s what we need. We need to play against high-caliber teams to make us better.”

Floch grabbed eight rebounds, while point guard Cheyann Bartlett handed out five assists.

Montesano traveled to Aberdeen on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Results were not available when The Vidette went to press.

Black Hills 20 17 15 12 — 64 Montesano 13 10 15 14 — 52

Black Hills (64) — Williams 15, Patti 10, Duff 18, Nurmi 16, Moloney, LaBelle 3, River, Reichert 2, Serhan. FG — 26-63 (.413). FT — 8-15.

Montesano (52) — Bartlett 7, Talley 5, Toyra 11, Floch 6, Spradlin 23, Quinn, Lovell. FG — 13-56 (.232). FT — 21-29.

JV — Black Hills 47, Montesano 38.

C squad — Black Hills 35, Montesano 28.

Monte 15 17 13 15 — 60

Tumwater 9 6 9 12 — 36

Montesano (60) — Bartlett 3, Talley 2, Toyra 8, Floch 13, Spradlin 22, Quinn 2, Lovell 6, Hutchings 2, Perkinson 2, Granstrom. FG – 23-60 (.383). FT – 10-28.

Tumwater (36) — Jelcick 6, Fields 15, Koelsch 4, Hare 3, Cunningham 5, Jones 3, Smith, Vessey. FG – 12-44 (.273). FT— 8-19.

JV — Montesano 59, Tumwater 31. Montesano’s Zoe Hutchings and Janessa Otterstetter 14 each.

C-Squad — Montesano 38, Tumwater 20. Mylaina Parker 22 points for Montesano.