ADNA — After some early season struggles, the Adna girls basketball team firmly put its name on the map Monday night, upsetting league-leading Wahkiakum, 49-39, on senior night.
The Pirates (13-6, 7-2 C2BL) led the Mules by as much as 20, and held on after a too-little, too-late rally in the fourth quarter to clinch a first-round home district game come Saturday.
“Anytime you beat someone of that caliber on senior night, it’s big,” Pirates coach Chris Bannish said.
The Mules had yet to suffer a defeat in league play, but were blitzed in the second quarter by the Pirates and fell behind by 12 at the half. A quick 8-0 scoring run in the third quarter saw Adna take a 20-point lead in the third quarter, paced by Kaylin Todd’s seven steals and dishes to open shooters in transition.
Summer White led the Pirates with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Faith Wellander (14 points) and Brooklyn Loose (13 points) also continued hot shooting streaks in the win.
“This is huge,” Bannish said. “It was about us playing to our capabilities. We were able to jump on them early and then we got in foul trouble, but we held on.”
With opposing teams focusing in on Todd and post Karlee Von Moos, Loose, Wellander, and White all cashed in from the inside and outside to help Adna put together its most complete team win of the season.
The beginning of the season was far from comfortable for a normally contending Adna squad, but finally, with districts looming this weekend, the Pirates look like the squad they were cracked up to be in the preseason.
“We’re starting to figure ourselves out,” Bannish said. “The role players and players who aren’t well-heralded are stepping up and hitting shots.”
The Pirates will take on Stevenson on the road in their regular season finale on Wednesday.
