Senior Kayla Lawson scored a season-high 10 points. An outstanding effort by Coupeville’s defense resulted in 15 second-half turnovers and only two points scored from the floor in the fourth quarter. These were the ingredients that got the Wolves back on the winning track Tuesday evening with a 50-33 Cascade League basketball victory over Granite Falls.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and boosted the Wolf Pack’s record to 6-5 in the league and 9-8 overall.
Lawson hit a pair of three-point baskets and scored seven of her 10 points in the second quarter.
“Our last games we weren’t too proud of,” she said. “I think this time we came out and we played with heart. We definitely wanted it and it showed.”
The Wolves held a 10-6 lead after the first quarter, but a basket by Kirsten Kramer with 26 seconds showing on the clock until halftime cut the margin to 19-17 at the break.
“We played a really effective defense in the third and fourth quarters,” coach Blake Severns said. “We pressed them and made them uncomfortable, and we really gave their guards some trouble.”
In the third period, Granite Falls tied the score twice before baskets by Audrey Murphy and Erika Smith gave the Tigers a 25-22 lead.
After that, the Wolves got hot from the floor.
Megan Smith tied the score with a 3-point bomb at the 4:52 mark to kick off a 10-0 run and put Coupeville in front to stay, 32-25.
“I’ve been coming in mornings and working on my shooting a lot,” Smith said. “I just didn’t have confidence in my shot, but I got it back tonight.”
Smith finished with a game-high 14 points, including a pair of 3-point baskets.
Led by senior post Shawna West, the Wolves took things over defensively in the fourth quarter. Coupeville controlled the boards and several times stepped into the Tigers’ passing lanes to pick off errant balls, resulting in eight costly turnovers.
“This is the first time that we’ve really come together,” West said. “It feels awesome because we’ve been on a losing streak.”
West was the third player in double figures for Coupeville scoring 11 points.
Granite Falls scored just four points over the final eight minutes of the game, two coming on a Murphy basket and Anna Jensen hit a pair from the free throw line.
“I told the girls to fill the boards and good things will happen,” Severns said. “On offense, we did some really nice things. We were going inside and outside, and we were attacking the basket. We also did a great job of taking care of the ball.”
Coupeville committed just nine turnovers in the game.
Murphy scored 12 points for the Tigers who have a 3-6 record in league games and a 5-9 overall mark.
Coupeville 50, Granite Falls 33
Granite Falls 6 11 12 4 — 33
Coupeville 10 9 17 14 — 50
Granite Falls (33) — Audrey Murphy 6 0-0 12, Michaela Dudder 3 0-0 7, Shelby Spencer 1 0-0 2, Anna Jensen 0 2-3 2, Kirsten Kramer 3 0-0 6, Kerry Wesala 0 0-0 0, Erika Smith 2 0-0 4, Sarah Hensley 0 0-2 0. Totals 15 2-5 33.
Coupeville (50) — Megan Smith 6 0-0 14, Shawna West 5 1-4 11, Kayla Lawson 4 0-2 10, Paige Mueller 2 0-0 4, Hayley Ebersole 1 0-0 2, Ashley Manker 1 0-0 2, Marie Hesselgrave 0 0-0 0, Courtney Boyd 0 0-0 0, Sarah Vass 0 2-4 2, Kassie Lawson 2 0-0 5. Totals 21 3-10 50.
Three-point goals — Granite Falls 1 (Dudder); Coupeville 5 (Kay. Lawson 2, Smith 2, Kas. Lawson). Turnovers — Granite Falls 26, Coupeville 9. Total fouls — Granite Falls 12, Coupeville 10. Fouled out — none.
