The fourth seed Medomak Valley girls basketball team (12-6) defeated fifth seed Lake Region (12-5) in a Class B South quarterfinal game on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Portland Expo. With the win, the Panthers advanced to the semifinals, where they will face Oceanside, the undefeated number one seed.
Medomak scored the first two hoops of the ball game to take a 4-0 lead. The Lakers went on a 14-5 run, including sinking three 3-pointers to take a 14-9 lead after the first quarter.
The Panthers’ trademark tough defense kept Lake Region off the boards in the second frame. Lake Region’s only point of the quarter came on a Bella Smith foul shot with 1:20 to play. The Panthers only scored one basket, which came from Kytana Williamson with 3:45 to go in the half. Sara Nelson and Audrey Jackson sank a foul shot each and Maddi Simmons added two to knot the score 15-15 at the half.
Williamson came out of the halftime break on a mission and propelled the Panthers to a 33-23 lead at the end of three. Williamson scored four baskets and assisted on another in the third period to spark Medomak.
The Lakers pulled within four with 3:40 to play in the game on three straight hoops from Abby Lavoie, Ava Smith, and Margo Tremblay. Williamson boosted the Panthers lead to six when she converted a pass from Haley Puchalski.
Medomak sealed the win at the foul line on two shots each from Nelson (1:01) and Williamson (37 seconds).
Medomak held a 40-24 advantage on the boards, led by Maya Cannon with 22 rebounds.
The Lady Panthers were in foul trouble throughout the game. Puchalski and Jackson picked up their fourth fouls in the third and Nelson added her fourth 30 seconds into the fourth quarter. McCormick and Cannon finished with three fouls each.
Both teams shot miserably from the foul line. Medomak Valley sank 12 of 27 (44%), and Lake Region made just four of 22 (18%).
Scoring for Medomak were Williamson with 16; Audrey Jackson, 8; Nelson, 7 (3R, 2S, 4A); McCormick 4 (5R) and Cannon, 4 each; and Simmons, 2.
Scoring for Lake Region were Bella Smith with 10 points; Melissa Mayo, 8 (7R, 2A); Tremblay, 6 (3R, 3S); Lavoie, 4 (4R, 5S); and Ava Smith, 3 (8R).
