Inglemoor takes Eastlake, 51-49
In one of the most thrilling 4A Kingco girls basketball games of the season, red-hot Inglemoor High won its fifth-straight league contest against visiting Eastlake, 51-49, last Wednesday.
The back-and-forth contest came down to the final possession of the fourth quarter, when the Wolves had the ball with 16 seconds left, needing two for the tie and three for the win.
Eastlake head coach Scott Sartorius called for a long-range jumper for the victory, and senior guard Jena Boyle’s 3-pointer was just off the mark to secure the Viking win.
“I thought that they were going to go inside and try to tie it, but they went for the 3” said Inglemoor head coach John Augustavo. “Scott wanted to go for the win, and it didn’t work out. We’ll take it.”
Hot hands
The Vikings shot a phenomenal 12-for-20 in the first half while spreading the ball around beautifully, as five players had four points or more heading into the locker room.
With a 28-20 lead at halftime, the Vikings started to slip in the third, committing seven turnovers as the Wolves, who missed their last seven field-goal attempts of the quarter but still managed to narrow the gap to 37-34 with eight minutes left to play.
With both teams over the foul limit by the start of the fourth quarter, the ebb and flow of the game was decided at the line.
The Vikings had a stretch where they missed four consecutive free throws, but the home team responded in the clutch with just over a minute remaining as senior guard Alex Nelson drained a pair to give Inglemoor a 49-47 lead. On the next possession, Eastlake co-captain Ellie Martinez scored to tie the game at 49.
With :34 left, a brilliant steal and layin by 6-foot forward Brynn Hamel put the Vikings up 51-49 and set up the game’s final play, which fell short for the Wolves. Eastlake had won seven of its last eight heading into last Wednesday’s contest.
“This team is unlike any team I’ve had. They play so well together, they never quit and they worked harder tonight,” Augustavo said. “I liked their intensity and their ability to turn it up. They were making runs at us, and we fought them all off.”
Nelson led all scorers with 16, including going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, followed by Lynsey Sandum with 13. For Eastlake, 6-1 junior Alyssa Charlston led the Wolves with 15.
The win boosted Inglemoor to 9-4 in conference play and 13-4 overall.
Raising the bar
Augustavo shares the common belief that 4A Kingco is so evenly matched this year that any team, on any given night, can show up.
Knowing every game will be a battle, his team is working extra hard to prepare for each game in the hope that the Lady Viks will peak in the postseason.
“This win raises the bar for us. We’ve beaten some good people along the way, and this is one of the best teams in Kingco,” said Augustavo of Eastlake’s program. “It’s one night … but it gives us a lot more confidence we’re going to need.”
With just two league games left against Woodinville and Lake Washington, the Vikings seem primed to finish strong and head into the postseason riding a wave of confidence.
“We’ve been playing some really tough and aggressive teams lately, and our team’s been really cohesive on the floor,” said Sandum, who is leading the team with 13.3 points per game. “We’re working together, passing the ball, and we’re all elements of one team. This win means a lot to us.”
