- photo by Jim P.

WA Girls B 2018 Kitsap Co. Pee Wee CHAMPIONS

 

BELFAIR, Wash. – Nervousness is an element that all championship athletes must overcome and the Warren Ave Girls B Knights were a bundle of nerves Saturday afternoon (Mar. 17) at North Mason High School.

 

Paired off against #1 NK-Suquamish Vikings (8-2) in the Kitsap Co. Pee Wee Girls B Basketball Championship, four out of five of the Knights opening possessions ended in turnovers.

 

Once shooting guard Danielle Irving got the basketball to go through the hoop for Warren Ave’s and the game’s first points, the Knights settled in and rolled to a convincing 25-to-12 victory.

 

“We have been working really hard,” said Knight coach Bryan Kurzrock. “The team has come together and I can just thank my team for believing in each other.”

 

Speed and athleticism are the two attributes coach Kurzrock believed would enable the WA Girls B to win the game. The combination had gotten them to the championship game, with a 8 and 3 record.

 

Instead, it was athleticism and height that proved to be the difference.

 

NK-Suquamish, whom the Knights had beaten 2 of 3 times during the regular season, was equally as quick. In the playoff semi-finals, the Vikings had rolled over the Chico girls 46-to-10 in the Old Hawkins gym Tuesday night (Mar. 13). It was NK-Suquamish’s swiftness that created problems for Warren Ave in the opening minutes.

 

But, the Vikings lacked height. Each of the six Warren Ave girls suited up were taller than NK-Suquamish’s tallest player. As such, the Vikings were forced to take the majority of their shots during the game from outside the key, near the three-point line.

 

The size differential was represented in the 15-to-4 halftime score.

 

NK-Suquamish only offensive success came at the charity strip, converting two free throw attempts. Their lone field goal, came with 1:29 remaining in the opening period.

 

Into the second half the Knights continued to control the paint, retrieving 65% of their offensive rebounds and holding the Vikings to just 8 points in the second period.

 

Forward Lucy Taylor was Warren Ave’s anchor. She corralled a season-high 6 defensive rebounds, enroute to a game-high 11 points and 17 boards, her second recorded double-double of the season.

 

“I still can’t believe I made a three-pointer,” was all she could talk about in the post-game interview.

 

Power guard Jailiah Blair was another key Knights member. She followed Taylor with 12 rebounds and shared high-team steal honors (4) with Irving.

 

Fouls proved to be coach Kurzrock’s most pressing game management issue throughout the contest, especially with only six players.

 

Warren Ave was tagged with a season-high 13 personal fouls. Point guard Isabelle Garcia-Kurzrock watched almost half the game from the bench, in foul trouble. Irving and Blair shared ballhandling responsibilities during her absence.

 

It was the first championship for these Lady Knights, who were playing in their final Pee Wee game. Due to conflicts between Pee Wees and Middle School basketball seasons, which run concurrently, B level (6^th grade) is the highest Pee Wee level girls can play at.

 

Last year, Warren Ave made it to the Kitsap Co. Pee Wee Girls C Basketball Championship but did not take home the trophy. This time they did.

 

 

- video by Jim P.