Lynnwood Girls Take Down Mount Rainier in Double OT Thriller

Lynnwood Girls Take Down Mount Rainier in Double OT Thriller
By Colin Caruso

In a battle between some of the best girls basketball teams in the state of Washington, the Lynnwood Royals took on the Mount Rainier Rams in the 2013 Muscle Milk Preview tournament at Highline Community College. Lynnwood took charge in the first half, doing well containing the dangerous McPhee twins by holding them to just nine first half points. The Royals also dominated the glass, grabbing ten more rebounds than the Rams leading towards ten more first half shot attempts. Lynnwood took a four point lead into the half, but they controlled the pace of play and led by as many as nine.

Mount Rainier began to heat up in the second half on the back of Emily Fiso, who finished with 15 points on the day. She hit a layup with just over a minute to play to cut the Royal lead to two points, 42-40. After the Royals failed to convert on their next possession, Jordan McPhee knocked down a three pointer for the Rams with just 22 seconds left on the clock, giving them their first lead since the first quarter. But Monty Cooper responded for the Royals with just 12 seconds left with a three of her own, giving the Royals a two point lead. You know Brittney McPhee was going to get into the action at some point, and the future Stanford Cardinal made a game tying layup on Mount Rainier’s next possession to send the game to OT.

Lynnwood controlled the first overtime as well, going ahead by as many as five points in the short frame. But Fiso struck again for the Rams, knocking down a three with 13 seconds in the frame to tie the game at 50 and send this great game to another overtime.

Lynnwood again took control of the second overtime, as both McPhee twins fouled out early in the final frame. This proved to be the difference in the game, without Jordan and Brittney the Rams were in trouble. Lynnwood closed out the game at the free-throw line, and a last second attempt from Rams guard Aqeelah Williams fell just short to give Lynnwood a 57-54 win.

Top Performers:
Lynnwood
Mikayla Pivec – 12 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals
Jasmin Edwards – 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
Monty Cooper – 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals

Mount Rainier
Brittany McPhee – 18 points, 20 rebounds, 3 steals
Jordan McPhee – 10 points, 11 rebounds
Emily Fiso – 15 points, 6 rebounds