LONGVIEW — The Mountain View Thunder accomplished a landmark season for the program, but weren’t ready to see it come to an end Saturday.
After winning the 3A Greater St. Helens League girls basketball title and reaching state for the first time since 2001, Mountain View had its sights set on an even deeper run when it drew the No. 11 seed for the 3A state tournament and a matchup with No. 19 Garfield on Saturday at Mark Morris High School.
The Thunder came close to overcoming multiple deficits, but were unable to complete the comeback in an ultimate 50-44 loss. Garfield, the four-time defending state champions, advanced to the 3A State Round of 12 at the Tacoma Dome.
Mountain View ended a successful season with a 17-8 record, but in the short term, this one stung for the Thunder.
“I even told them a couple weeks ago that we got to work as hard as we possibly can in practice, so we push the day that we’re done playing as far away as we possibly can,” Mountain View coach Chuck Knight said. “When you lose, it hurts, because you put your blood, sweat and tears into it every day. You bond together as a team, and when it finally comes to an end, it kind of hits you like a sledgehammer.
“I’m proud of them, what they accomplished and the good things that (haven’t) been done since before they were born. So, that’s cool, but I felt like we could’ve won the game and we could’ve gone further.”
Mountain View trailed for all but 30 seconds of the opening quarter, but continued to hang tough with a Garfield team led by 15 points apiece from Jayda Lewis and Lena Most.
Trailing by eight in the fourth quarter, Mountain View’s Layla Senderson hit her fourth 3-pointer of the second half, before Sveva Bernasconi’s layup got the Thunder within 44-41 at the three-minute mark.
That was as close as Mountain View would get.
Lewis countered with a basket for a five-point cushion, and the Thunder went more than two-and-a-half minutes without a basket in the final stretch, while Garfield closed out the game at the free-throw line.
Afterward, Mountain View lamented its share of missed shots from close range, and shooting 11-of-22 at the line. In a close game, those misfirings were magnified even more.
“I feel like if we would’ve shot the ball (better), point-blank lay-ins, I don’t know how many chippies we missed, and I think we missed double-digit free throws,” Knight said.
Bernasconi led the Thunder with 15 points and Layla Senderson added 14 points, including 12 in the second half.
“We just had trouble scoring today, other than Layla who kept us tight in the third,” Knight said. “We couldn’t get over the hump.”
At the heart of Mountain View’s ascent was a senior class Elizabeth Oja, Bernasconi, an exchange student from Italy, and twins Layla Senderson and Jadlyn Senderson, who transferred into the program from Union ahead of their junior season. All four left a positive impact that permeated throughout the program, helping make for an easier transition to a new coaching staff led by Knight, Mountain View’s first-year coach.
“We’ll miss our seniors,” Knight said. “Four great seniors, incredible leaders who just set the tone at practice every day and made it enjoyable to be there.”
GARFIELD 50, MOUNTAIN VIEW 44
GARFIELD (14-9) — E. Carter-Vincent 0, Star Smiley 2, Mariah Roy 10, Lena Most 15, Kahmiya Bryant 8, Jayda Lewis 15. Totals 18 (2) 11-22 50.
MOUNTAIN VIEW (17-8) — Mylee Thompson 1, Jadlyn Senderson 7, Layla Senderson 14, Sveva Bernasconi 15, Camaria Brown 2, Amaya Paschal 5. Totals 14 (5) 11-22 44.
Garfield 12 16 14 8—50
Mtn. View 10 9 15 10—44
