<a href="http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/slide_show_northwestern_a_divisional_basketball_day_two/16303/" title="Slide Show of images from day two of the Northwestern A Divisional tournament.“>Slide Show of images from day two of the Northwestern A Divisional tournament.
The third-seeded Lady Pirates from Polson outlasted the Libby Lady Loggers in an exciting defensive battle to get to the championship game, maintaining their lead throughout the game for a 38-32 win.
The second-seeded Lady Loggers had trouble navigating the intense Lady Pirate full-court press in the first quarter, and Polson cashed in on their opponents’ turnovers by building a 14-4 lead.
Polson junior Sierra Pete started strong with eight points in the first half. Her team used a patient offense to frustrate the Lady Loggers’ strong zone defense, outscoring Libby by 18-6 in the first half.
The second quarter was more about defense than offense for both teams, with only six total points scored in the eight-minute quarter.
Libby standout senior Jackie Mee was stymied during the first half by a persistent double-team Polson defense, scoring two points. She came back with eight points in the second half, ending with a team-high 10. Mee is the leading scorer in the conference, coming into the tournament averaging 19.5 points per game.
The Libby offense came alive in the third quarter, largely thanks to a pair of three-pointers from senior LaRona Luscher. The Lady Loggers also earned four points from the free throw line, making half of their attempts in the third quarter.
Polson’s Breanne Kelley, a junior, answered with three three-pointers of her own, keeping the Lady Loggers at a 27-20 lead at the end of the third quarter. She ended up with a team-high 15 points.
The Lady Loggers suffered a blow when defensive powerhouse Jaime Gilden, a junior, fouled out with 6:42 left to go in the fourth quarter. They inched closer, coming within two points of the Lady Pirates with less than five minutes to go, but Polson pulled away on a pair of free throws and a basket from sophomore Riley Kenney.
A three from Luscher and a free throw from Mee brought Libby within four with 25 seconds to go, but a pair of free throws from Polson’s Kelley iced the win.
The Polson Lady Pirates will move on to the championship game against the first-ranked Columbia Falls Wildkats on Saturday. The Libby Lady Loggers will play in the consolation game on Saturday afternoon.
<a href="http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/game_center_2010_northwestern_a_divisionals/16246/" title="For more Northwestern A Divisional tournament coverage, visit the Game Center: 2010.“>For more Northwestern A Divisional tournament coverage, visit the Game Center: 2010.