Tenino ripped off a 14-0 run to start the game and used lockdown defense to garner a 46-24 victory over Seton Catholic in the opening round of the 1A District 4 girls basketball tournament Friday at home.
On a night where shots weren’t falling — the Beavers were 0 for 13 from beyond the arc — Tenino instead turned to its smothering defense to hold the Cougars to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters.
“We played really good, solid defense,” Tenino coach Scott Ashmore said. “Offensively, we struggled outside of the key. But we got a lot of good looks out of our press and were consistent until the fourth quarter.”
The Cougars outscored the Beavers 10-6 in the final frame, but the game was already out of reach by that point.
Tenino senior Ashley Schow scored a game-high 22, while senior Megan Letts added 10 and senior Alivia Hunter chipped in seven.
“I told them, we’re not gonna shoot poorly like this every game,” Ashmore said.
The Beavers now move on to face La Center on Tuesday in the double-elimination bracket. A win against the Wildcats would secure a state regional berth.
Tenino has already beaten La Center once this season in a non-league bout, winning 54-36 on Dec. 9.
