Garfield Holds Off Mountain View To Stay Alive In Girls 3A Tournament

By The Seattle Medium

LONGVIEW, WA – In a tense WIAA 3A girls’ basketball loser-out game at Mark Morris High School, the four-time defending state champion Garfield Lady Bulldogs overcame a strong challenge from the Mountain View Thunder, using key defensive stops and timely scoring runs to secure a 50-44 victory. The win keeps Garfield’s season alive, sending them to the “Round of 12” at the Tacoma Dome, where they will face another tough opponent next Weds., March 5 in another win-or-go-home matchup.

From the opening tip, Garfield controlled the tempo, using aggressive ball pressure and fast-break opportunities to jump out to an early lead. Jayda Lewis attacked the rim for Garfield’s first points, and Lena Most followed with two free throws after drawing contact in the lane. Mountain View countered with Amaya Paschal knocking down a three-pointer to keep the Thunder within striking distance.

Midway through the first quarter, Garfield went on an 8-0 run, sparked by Kahmiya Bryant’s steal and layup, followed by Lewis driving inside for back-to-back baskets. Most capped off the run with a pull-up jumper to give Garfield a 15-6 lead. Mountain View responded with a 5-0 run of its own, fueled by Layla Senderson’s three-pointer and a baseline drive from Sveva Bernasconi, trimming the deficit to 15-11.

However, Garfield kept attacking, and Mariah Roy drained a deep two-pointer just before the buzzer, sending the Bulldogs into the second quarter with a 19-14 advantage.

Both teams tightened up defensively in the second quarter, resulting in a slow-scoring stretch with very few clean looks at the basket. Mountain View cut the lead to three points when Jadlyn Senderson converted two free throws, but Garfield’s defense held strong. Lewis grabbed an offensive rebound and finished at the rim to break a three-minute scoring drought for the Bulldogs.

Despite Mountain View’s defensive adjustments, Garfield found another scoring burst late in the quarter. Most hit a jumper off an inbounds play, and Roy added a transition layup after a forced turnover, pushing the lead back to 25-17. Bernasconi hit two free throws for the Thunder just before halftime, but Garfield still held a 25-19 edge at the break.

Coming out of halftime, Mountain View made its strongest push of the game. Layla Senderson came out firing, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers, cutting Garfield’s lead to 27-25 just minutes into the third quarter. The Thunder’s defense forced a Garfield turnover on the next possession, and Paschal converted a floater in the lane, tying the game for the first time since the opening minutes.

With momentum swinging toward Mountain View, Garfield answered with a 10-0 run that re-established their control of the game. Bryant powered inside for a layup, followed by a steal and coast-to-coast finish by Lewis. Star Smiley grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Roy, who knocked down a huge three-pointer to cap the run, putting Garfield ahead 37-27.

Lewis, who suffered a mid-court collision early in the first quarter, showed toughness throughout the game and continued to make key plays despite playing with some adversity.

“Jayda had a mid-court collision early in the first quarter,” said Garfield head coach Roydell Smiley. “She was in some pain, but one thing I know about Jayda Lewis is she is the toughest player in Washington, boys & girls.”

Mountain View refused to go away, with Jadlyn Senderson hitting a mid-range jumper and Bernasconi sinking two more free throws to pull within 42-34 entering the final period. The fourth quarter saw one final surge from Mountain View, as Layla Senderson buried another three-pointer, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to just three points at 44-41. The Thunder had a chance to tie the game, but Garfield’s defense forced a shot-clock violation, giving the Bulldogs a much-needed stop.

On the next possession, Roy delivered the dagger, knocking down a corner three-pointer off an assist from Lewis, as the Bulldogs stretched their lead to 47-41 with under two minutes remaining.

Smiley says that Roy’s ability to step up in big moments has been instrumental in the team’s ability to quickly change the momentum of a game, like they did down the stretch of today’s game.

“Mariah Roy’s confidence is growing game by game, and that’s scary. She’s a tremendous athlete that can do many things on the court,” said Smiley.

Mountain View missed a pair of free throws on its next trip down the floor, and Garfield sealed the win at the line. Most calmly sank two clutch free throws, and Lewis added another to put the game out of reach. Despite a last-minute basket from the Thunder, Garfield closed out the game with a 50-44 win, ensuring they’ll play another day.

After the game, Smiley reflected on his team’s performance and what it took for them to win the game.

“[This was a] gritty win,” said Smiley. “I thought the girls really focused on the game plan and executed really well today.”

Smiley also praised the efforts of point guard Lena Most, who not only kept her team in sync offensively, but was able to help set the tone defensively against Mountain View’s very talented offense.

“Lena played great,” said Smiley. “She gets to man this ship and has done a tremendous job these last couple of games defensively.”

With the victory, Garfield moves on to the Tacoma Dome, where they will face the loser of White River vs. Lakeside in another must-win game on Wednesday, March 5. Meanwhile, Mountainview’s season came to an end.

Jayda Lewis and Lena Most, who went 7 for 10 from the free-throw line, both finished the game with 15 points, while Mariah Roy scored 10 points, and Kahmiya Bryant chipped in 8 points to lead the Lady Bulldogs. Star Smiley had a strong defensive presence to help set the tone for Garfield in the paint.

Layla Senderson finished the game with 17 points, including 4-for-6 from three-point range, while Sveva Bernasconi had 11 points to lead the Thunder.