EDITOR’S NOTE: this article is a different version than appears in print in the March 12 issue. More comments from the coach appear in print. This article contains more game detail.
Mountain View’s Lady Yellowjacket basketball team made a successful run in last week’s state tournament, rolling over opponents as they have much of the season before reaching the semi-final round, where top-ranked, undefeated Dover managed to hold them off 59-44 on March 8.
The team got wins over Dumas (46-35) in the quarterfinals, and Elkins (71-49) in the opening round of the 3A State Tournament, held at Harrison.
Coach T.J. Coleman described his team’s 28-9 season as exceptional and said it showcased their dedication, skill and unwavering commitment to excellence both on the court and in the classroom.
“This year’s team set out with one clear goal: to make it to the state tournament and compete at the highest level in 3A,” he said. “Not only did they achieve that goal, but they also left their mark as one of the most accomplished teams in the area.”
In the Dover game, both teams missed shots initially before Evvi Cooper rebounded her own missed shot for the first points of the game. Mountain View then stole the ball and the Lady Pirates committed two fouls before Cooper drove in and hit a scoop shot for a 4-0 lead.
Dover scored a quick basket on the other end before Emma Akins went to the freethrow line after she was fouled, making one of two. Dover’s standout player Logan Young made two freethrows after she was fouled.
A minute later, Young blocked a MV shot out of bounds, and Cooper scored on the inbounds play to make it 7-4. Emma Akins rebounded a missed Dover shot and drove to the other end to score, then Josie Stevens added a freethrow on the next MV possession. A step-back three-pointer from Cooper increased the lead to 13-4 by the quarter’s end.
Dover hit two treys early in the second quarter, and added a rebound basket to trim the MV lead to one point before Cooper hit another shot to make it 15-12. Dover scored on a steal and fastbreak and added one freethrow to tie the score at 15, then Cooper hit two of four freethrows over the next minute. The Lady Pirates stole the ball and made a layup, then put back a rebound on the next possession to take their first lead at 17-19. Cooper hit a mid-range jumper with 21 seconds on the clock, and a Dover player reclaimed the lead with an awkward but effective hook shot. However, Akins swished a three-pointer from the top of the key just before the buzzer to send her team to halftime leading 22-21.
Mountain View was held to seven points in the third quarter, with Stevens taking a pass from Akins to score, and Akins putting back a rebound. Erin Akins connected from three-point range for her first points but Young scored off a screen play for the team’s fourth basket of the period to tie the score at 29. Dover added two freethrows and held a two-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Erin Akins hit another trey from the top of the key to start the final period but the momentum then swung in Dover’s favor as the Lady Pirates scored 11 unanswered points before Emma Akins made a trey to make it 35-42 with less than four minutes left to play.
A Dover shot was blocked and Jaci Cooper got her first points of the game when she finished the resulting fastbreak. Dover hit one of two freethrows on the next possession, and Cooper completed a three-point play after she was fouled for a 40-43 score with 2:32 on the clock. It would be the last MV score over the next two minutes as Young blocked at least two shots and Dover put back a rebound and hit seven of eight freethrows in that time to extend the lead to 12 points.
Young blocked one three-point attempt but Erin Akins was fouled attempting another with 33 seconds remaining. She made two of the resulting freethrows. Jaci Cooper added a basket but Dover added another seven of eight in those final seconds of play.
Evvi Cooper’s 15 first-half points led the team, while, while Emma Akins tallied 11 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Erin Akins hit for 8 points, while Jaci Cooper had 7 points and 4 rebounds. Josie Stevens has six rebounds and 3 points.
In the quarterfinals against Dumas, Erin Akins made six three-pointers for 18 points, and grabbed 5 rebounds. Evvi Cooper added 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists; Josie Stevens grabbed 9 rebounds and Jaci Cooper pulled down 6 rebounds. Emma Akins grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists.
In the opening round win over Elkins, Evvi Cooper tallied 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, while Erin Akins recorded 16 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, Jaci Cooper added 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists; and Emma Akins had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Josie Stevens added 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Kaydence Dearien grabbed 9 rebounds and deflected the ball 6 times.
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