Lady Braves win away, fell 4A Skyview

After being eclipsed by one of the state's budding shooting stars, the La Conner High School Lady Braves brightened their prospects for a deep post-season run with a stellar 81-77 win at 4A Skyview in Vancouver, WA. Saturday afternoon.

La Conner (13-4 overall) rebounded from a 79-54 setback Friday night to 4A Union High and its freshman phenom Brooklynn Haywood, who at 14 already has scholarship offers.

Haywood poured in a Union school record 50 points – including seven three-pointers and a perfect seven-of-seven at the free throw line – to hand the visitors a lopsided defeat on the front end of its long two-game road trip.

Coach Joe Harper remained upbeat prior to the tip-off the next day.

"We never gave up and kept playing hard," he told the Weekly News. "The girls have good attitudes and understand that Haywood had a career game against us."

The 5'-9" frosh standout, who grew up in Alaska, was uncanny with her trademark step-back jumper.

La Conner fell behind Union 20-8 in the first period and could not overcome the Haywood scoring barrage.

Ellie Marble paced the Lady Braves with 20 points and Josie Harper added 19. Kennedy Miller chipped in a season-high nine points.

Coach Harper's optimism following the Union game was well placed. At Skyview, the team erased an early 10-point deficit to defeat the larger school with the type of gritty comeback that bodes well with playoffs lurking around the corner.

La Conner battled back to trail just 46-44 at the break, then tied the score 72-72 in the late going. The Lady Braves went up 79-72 with just over a minute to play before holding on for the four-point triumph.

Marble, a force in the paint the entire afternoon, poured in 32 points.

Josie Harper and Makayla Herrera also made big contributions, with Harper tallying 27 points, including six three-pointers. Herrera reached double-digits with 14 points, including clutch free throws with the game in the balance down the stretch.

Miller added a key fourth quarter trey that swung momentum in the visitors' favor.

Freshman point guard Shaniquah Casey ran the Lady Braves attack and reached the scoring column with four points.

La Conner returned home opposite Mount Vernon Christian last night, seeking to avenge a 46-45 loss Dec. 17. Tonight they are at 1A Meridian.

The team (4-1 in NW1B/2B action) resumes league play Friday, entertaining Friday Harbor at 4 p.m. at Landy James Gym.