WIAA 4A/3A girls basketball game of day: Garfield starts trek toward fifth consecutive championship with close win

After getting offensive rebounds off two missed trips of free throws, Jayda Lewis sinks a pair of free throws in final seconds to put away White River

Jayda Lewis and Garfield are four-time defending Class 3A girls champions this week in Tacoma. / Photo by Todd Milles

TACOMA, Wash. - Four-time defending Class 3A girls basketball champion Garfield girls still has the dream of a fifth consecutive title alive after defeating No. 3 White River, 51-47, in the opening round of the state tournament Wednesday in the Tacoma Dome.

The win didn’t come without more than its share of adversity for the Bulldogs, who saw a seven-point lead with 6:12 to play disappear after an 8-0 run by the Hornets in just over two minutes of game time.

Garfield (16-9) quickly regained the lead on a corner three from junior Lena Most and extended to a four-point lead on a Jayda Lewis layup. The Bulldogs had a chance to put the game away at the free-throw line but missed five of six rebounds in the final 20 seconds of the game. Unfortunately for the Hornets, they were unable to secure rebounds on two of those misses, giving themselves just one opportunity to tie the game or take the lead.

“It was very frustrating,” White River girls coach Chris Gibson said. “They missed some free throws that we needed them to miss, and we couldn’t get the rebound.”

For the Bulldogs, it was the kind of effort that has helped propel them to the last four state championships that helped them corral back-to-back rebounds on missed free throws that took crucial extra seconds off the clock.

“We hustle really hard, and I think that’s probably why we’re here today,” Most said. “I’m just proud of my teammates and I’m proud of (junior forward) Star (Smiley) for boxing out in crunch time.”

Most led the Bulldogs with 14 points and Lewis added 13.

Coming in as the 19th seed and playing a loser-out game on the first day of the tournament, it seemed as though the deck was stacked against the Bulldogs, but they showed their resilience in advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinals where they will face No. 4 Stanwood (21-4).

“Most importantly, I’m so proud of my team,” Most said. “I’m so proud of the girls for showing up today, especially for a 9 a.m. game which can be really difficult. I know that the odds have been against us really this entire year, so I’m just proud of everybody and it was a great win today.”

White River sophomore Maggee Schmitz drove the lane and attempted to draw a foul, but the ball went out of bounds giving possession to Garfield, which closed the game out with two free throws.

Schmitz led White River (22-5) with 23 points.

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