Willamina keeps playoff hopes alive with win over Sheridan
The Sheridan Spartans girls team couldn’t complete back-to-back comeback wins against their West Valley rivals, and Willamina advanced in the Pac/West league with a 39-36 win Tuesday.
Sheridan came out strong, encouraged by their 38-31 win against Willamina on Friday, Feb. 14 in the regular season finale. The teams met again on Sheridan’s home floor in the 4/5 league playoff matchup.
Willamina battled back in the second, and a three-pointer by Grace Terbush game them a 17-16 lead with 30 second to go in the half. Bridgette Manley stole the ball on the other end and was fouled in transition. She hit both free throws,
With 4.5 seconds left, Sheridan senior Chloe Ayala got took the inbounds pass, hurried down the floor and nailed a deep three, a few feet inside the center court logo, to tie the game 19-19 going into halftime.
Willamina’s Bayleigh Leno opened the second half with a three-pointer, and the Bulldogs built a seven-point lead as the Spartans were marred by turnovers.
Willamina post Zoie Sickles converted an inside bucket off an inbounds pass with 3:30 in the game to make it 39-32. On the next Bulldog possession, Grace Terbush hit a three-pointer, but just after the shot clock expired.
With about a minute left, Sheridan’s Taylor Givens scored off an inbounds pass to cut the lead to 34-39. On the Spartans’ next possession, Givens scored inside, was fouled and converted the free throw to make it a one-possession game.
Following a Willamina travel call, Givens tried to score down low again, but was surrounded by the interior of Willamina’s zone. Leno blocked a free throw line jumper attempt by Meleena Montano. Terbush received a long outlet and was looking to end the game, but Ayala was able to hustle and tie her up for a jump ball.
Sheridan had more shot, with 10 seconds left, but were out of time outs to draw up a play. The Spartans couldn’t get a shot off, and Willamina celebrated.
Willamina advanced to play at Taft on Saturday at noon, with hopes of earning a bid into the state playoffs.
The regular season finale was equally as competitive.
Sheridan held a brief lead after Montano made a three just before the buzzer in the first quarter, 10-9. Willamina scored first in the second to regain the lead, which they held until the two-minute mark of the fourth quarter.
Her team down 23-31 in the fourth, Ayala hit a three-pointer out of a scramble with four minutes to go. A couple possessions later, Givens found Ayala with a cross-court pass from the post, and Ayala again nailed a jumper from behind the arch. The next time down, Ayala pump faked an outside shot, drove through the lane and dropped a dime to Givens for an easy two, tying the game at 31-31.
Willamina went the final three minutes without any points and Sheridan iced the game at the line, completing the 37-31 comeback victory.
Sheridan completed their season with a 12-12 record, finishing 7-9 in league. Willamina is 10-14 and finished 6-10 in conference.
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