Area Sports
College basketball: Pirate women punch postseason ticket
Published on Thu, Feb 21, 2013 by Sequim Gazette staffRead More Sports
The Pirates (9-4 in conference play, 17-8 overall) were without leading scorer Taylor Larson, but managed to build a 45-25 lead by halftime. Larson suffered a partial tear to her anterior cruciate ligament in a win Saturday against Olympic. P.C.'s backup center, Jonica Durbin, broke Peninsula’s all-time single season blocked shot record on Saturday but broke her thumb in a warm-up drill on Wednesday.
The Pirates play in the NWAACC tournament, starting March 2 in Kennewick.
The Pirates, who overcame a 14-point deficit with just over 12 minutes remaining to tie the game at 87-87 with 43 seconds remaining, had the ball and a chance to win the game, but Donald Gaddy’s shot in the paint fell short and the Dolphins then missed a close-range shot of their own in the final seconds to send the game into overtime.
In the extra five-minute period, the Dolphins went out in front by five thanks to a pair of perimeter shots and simply could not miss, hitting all nine of their attempts to bury the Pirates 25-11, en route to the 14-point victory.
The P.C. men, who suffered from some chilly free throw shooting (eight-of-17 for 47 percent), played a brilliant second half, holding the NWAACC’s highest scoring team to just 37 points — but it wasn’t enough.
Djuan Smith led the Pirates with a quiet 27 points and 10 rebounds, Gaddy had attacking the basket for 21 points, Xavier Bazile hit for 18 points and also posted a double-double with 14 boards. Aaron Clark added 15 points and nine rebounds, and TreShawn King Dunbar chipped in eight points in limited minutes.
