The Tumwater girls basketball team came out of the gate strong on Thursday in Tacoma, but the 4A Bellarmine Prep Lions pulled away as the game went on and handed the T-Birds a 56-45 loss.
Regan Brewer scored seven points in the opening frame and helped the T-Birds (7-2, 4-0 2A EvCo) take a 12-10 lead into the second, but she went to the bench with two fouls early in the quarter.
Bellarmine took advantage, going on a 15-3 run to take a 10-point lead. The Thunderbirds finished the quarter strong, and Elsa Schrek drilled three 3-pointers to help trim the deficit to seven at the break.
The Lions continued to keep the T-Birds at arms length in the second half. Late in the fourth, Brewer scored six points in a 30-second span thanks to an initial bucket and two steals, but that only got Tumwater within eight, and a trio of Bellarmine free throws iced the game.
Brewer finished with a team-high 20 points and tallied eight rebounds and five assists, while Rhylee Beebe hauled in 10 rebounds.
The Thunderbirds are back in action on Saturday, when they’ll head south to take on Napavine.
