TACOMA – Every time this season the Skyview girls basketball team has lost, the Storm have bounced back to win the next game.
Skyview will have to do that once more to keep its season alive.
The Storm were beaten by Bellarmine Prep 56-44 on Saturday in the bi-district tournament at Wilson High. That knocked Skyview (13-6) into a winner-to-state, loser-out game against a familiar foe.
The Storm will face 4A Greater St. Helens League rival Camas on Tuesday in a game likely to be played in Clark County. Skyview won both regular-season clashes against Camas.
Skyview was denied a state regional berth by a tenacious Bellarmine defense. The Lions (18-4) kept Skyview out of rhythm with a full-court press and a half-court trap.
“We knew it was coming,” Skyview coach Brett Johnson said. “Our thing was to move the ball, pass the ball. But a lot of girls tried to be that one-on-one hero. You can’t do that against this team. They’re too good.”
Bellarmine of Tacoma never relinquished an early lead en route to its eighth consecutive state berth. After Skyview pulled within 28-26 early in the third quarter, Bellarmine answered with a 14-5 run fueled by fast-break baskets after steals.
“We always tell them, the ball moves faster than the man,” Johnson said. “It was trying to dribble through everybody that killed us.”
A game with little rhythm saw plenty of fouls, with the teams combining for 48 free throw attempts. But Skyview went just 11 for 27 from the line, including 3 of 10 in the fourth quarter.
Kazz Parks led Skyview with 10 points and Madeline Hendricks added eight.
BELLARMINE PREP 56, SKYVIEW 44
BELLARMINE PREP (18-4) – Analesa Mason-Ligon 4, Kaylie Steinmacher 1, Katie Christensen 0, Callie Stevens 10, Rowan Cusack 7, Julie Bordeaux 10, Larkin Daley 0, Riley Cusack 12, Gabby Miller 0, Caitie Burns 0. Totals 20 (3) 13-21 56.
SKYVIEW (13-6) – Addison MacPherson 6, Mikelle Anthony 5, Alexis Perez 4, Madeline Hendricks 8, Ava Harman 2, Avery Wilson 4, Skylar Groesbeck 2, Kazz Parks 10, Emily Norton 3. Totals 15 (3) 11-27 44.
Bellarmine 16 12 17 11— 56
Skyview 10 10 13 11— 44
