Lady Bears clinch state trophy

SPOKANE – Free throws, more free throws, and even more free throws made the difference in the Brewster Lady Bears 70-54 win over Toutle Lake Friday morning, March 1, in the Spokane Arena. Of those 70 points scored by Brewster, 33 came from the free throw stripe as the Lady Bears shot an impressive 33-37 for nearly half their team point total.

The win advances Brewster to the game at 8 a.m., Saturday, March 2, against Mabton for fourth or fifth place at state. The Lady Bears beat Mabton, 87-85, in double overtime during the regular season.

Toutle Lake opened Friday’s game with a two-point lead but could come no closer than three ties on the way to 10 points before Brewster took control at mid-quarter and led thereafter. Brewster was up 20-17 at the end of the first, 39-29 at halftime, and ahead by as many as 18 points in the third quarter before the Fighting Ducks chipped away at the lead.

Contrary to their loss to No.1 Napavine the previous day where missed free throws made the difference in Brewster’s two-point loss, the Lady Bears were lethal from the foul line, hitting 15 straight before their first miss in the third quarter.

The foul stripe accuracy was such a factor that in the fourth quarter when Toutle Lake was within four points, the Lady Bears drilled 19 points and all but two of those were free throws. 

Toutle Lake was no slacker from the foul line either, hitting 20 of 26. Between the two teams they committed 47 fouls that sent three players to the bench.

Paige Wulf received the game sportsmanship award.

Brewster scoring

Morgan McGuire - 22

Pepper Boesel – 15

Kara Schertenleib -10 

Paige Wulf – 9

Grace Becker – 8

Kaydence Carrington - 6