Bellevue is at it again.
The Wolverines’ girls basketball team, looking to make a second straight run deep into the postseason, ensured itself a spot in the 3A Regional round with a 62-53 over Lakeside in Sea-King district tournament Tuesday at Bellevue College.
“I think the girls are pumped up about it,” head coach Leah Krautter said. “It’s a little bit different, because we’ve been there before.”
Bellevue stretched its lead to 23 points in the third quarter after a bucket from junior Dejah Rogers, and never let the Lions back within nine points, using a frustrating mix of defenses that kept Lakeside at bay.
“Once one person picks it up, we all know how to pick it up,” junior Mandy Steward said.
The Wolverines led by six after the first quarter, before stretching the advantage in the second with 21 points, including 11 from Rogers and sophomore Shelby Cansler.
“I was really pleased,” Krautter said. “The effort was there. We talked about how we had to come out in the first half.”
Rogers finished with a game high 18 points, while Canlser put in 15 and Steward added 14 of her own.
Krautter said the balanced scoring effort is evidence of a team reaching its potential at the right time.
” The girls are coming together at the right time,” Krautter said. “We’ve been focusing on team play all year, and it is finally starting to click.
Cristina Cheledinas led the way for Lakeside with 14, while Lauren Estell scored 13 for the Lions in the loss.
Bellevue used its district success to reach the state semi-finals last year before losing to eventual champion Cleveland, and will have another chance to get to the Tacoma Dome when the Regional round begins next week. But first is the district semi-finals Thursday back at Bellevue College, where the Wolverines will face Blanchet for a spot in the Sea-King title game.
Krautter said while her team was able to hold its quarterfinal foe at arm’s length, she hopes to see a cleaner effort Thursday.
“We had the lead, and we didn’t quite keep control like I’d hoped,” she said.
The win sends Bellevue back to the round of 16 for the second straight year and also to the district tournament semi-finals Thursday at Bellevue College.
