Bellevue knew if it wanted to win a 3A girls basketball state championship, the road went through the defending champs from Cleveland.

The Wolverines took their shot Friday in the Tacoma Dome, but trailed throughout and lost 53-43 to the Eagles in the 3A semi finals for the second straight season.

“They are so athletic, so confident,” Bellevue assistant coach Noah Wulbert said of the top-ranked Eagles. “They have outside shooters, Joyce Harrell inside, who played great.”

The Wolverines pulled within one at 44-43 with three minutes left in the game before nine straight Cleveland points to close things out sealed their fate.

Cleveland scored more than half of its 30 first half points from the foul line, and had a lead as large as 11 before the Wolverines closed the gap with a bucket before the half.

The plan to work sophomore post Shelby Cansler on the offensive end was evident early, as she took 18 of her team’s 28 shots before the break and scored 12 points in the first 16 minutes. floor as a team.

But as it has been the past two times Bellevue met their Sea-King district foe, it was the Eagles picking up the win behind 14 points each from Myzhanique Ladd and Makala Roper and 10 more from Harrell.