Playing without their all-time leading scorer, Peninsula’s women still needed a win in one of their final two games to secure a playoff berth.
The Pirates killed the suspense with a big win at Shoreline on Wednesday night.
Jesse Ellis scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Abigail Jones had 18 points and Jasmine Yarde hit five 3-pointers as Peninsula routed the host Shoreline Dolphins, 85-61.
Peninsula hit nine of 18 from 3-point range and sank 80 percent from the free throw line.
Deja Davis, Chelsea Padgett and Emily Wilbur had 11 points each to lead Shoreline (3-10, 10-14).
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.
Peninsula finishes the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 23, with a home date against North Division-leading Bellevue (11-2, 18-8).
The Pirates play in the NWAACC tournament, starting March 2 in Kennewick.
Pirate men fall
The Peninsula men were not as fortunate on the road, dropping a 112-98 decision Wednesday in overtime.
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.
The defeat drops the Pirates (7-6 in conference play, 16-10 overall) into the fourth spot in the North Division, with Bellevue (6-7, 14-11) and Shoreline (6-7, 8-15) just a game behind with one game to play.
Peninsula matches up with Bellevue in the regular season finale on Saturday, Feb. 23. The Bulldogs topped Peninsula 80-69 back on Jan. 26.
