Bellevue Wolverines girls basketball player Shelby Cansler rose to the occasion in a winner-state, loser-out regional basketball showdown against the Lincoln Abes.

Cansler, who scored 19 points in the second half, propelled the Wolverines to a 60-47 victory against the Abes on Feb. 28 at Bellevue College.

Lincoln led Bellevue 30-28 with two minutes left in the third quarter but the Wolverines outscored the Abes 32-17 in the final 10 minutes of play to put the game away. Bellevue head coach Leah Krautter said Cansler is the ultimate competitor.

“Shelby has been someone who has been tough to stop all season. While they (Lincoln) were fast, she has the size and the length. She is not going to get down after an early slump. She wasn’t going to let us lose that game,” Krautter said.

The Wolverines, who nabbed third place at the Class 3A state tournament last season, are determined to make history on hardwood this weekend.

“We want to win state,” Cansler said following the victory against Lincoln.

Bellevue (23-3) will face the Prairie Falcons in the first round of the state tournament on March 5 at the Tacoma Dome. Krautter said her squad is focused on the opportunity to compete for a state championship.

“We have a lot of confidence. We know that we can compete with any team in the state. I met with each of the girls individually after last season and all of them on their own said we want to win it (state title) next year. They have had that goal in mind all year,” Krautter said. “They have worked really hard for it in the off-season. We’re not going to be happy with anything else frankly.”

Shaun Scott: 425-453-5045; sscott@bellevuereporter.com