EDITOR’S NOTE: The Peninsula College women beat Portland 64-59 Sunday night, getting 21 points from Ituau Tuisaula and 15 from Sequim’s Hope Glasser in the Elite Eight. Peninsula will play Saturday in the NWAC Final Four.
EVERETT — Playing without starter Millie Long, who is out with a sprained ankle, the Peninsula College women’s basketball team built up a big lead in its first-round NWAC tournament game against North Idaho, then held off a comeback attempt in the fourth quarter for a 56-48 win.
With Saturday night’s victory, the No. 1 seeded-women (23-3 overall) moved on to the second round to play Portland in the Elite Eight Sunday evening. That game was after press deadline. To find a game report, go to www.peninsuladailynews.com.
In Saturday’s win, the Pirates took a 31-23 lead into the half and quickly built it up to 36-23 midway through the third quarter.
The Peninsula women managed to maintain a double-digit lead through most of the second half and appeared headed to a win with a 52-37 lead with 6:27 left in the game.
North Idaho mounted a late comeback, however, hitting a pair of 3-pointers and scoring eight straight points to make it 52-45 with 4:36 left.
The Pirates’ defense clamped down, allowing the Cardinals just three points over the final 4:36. The Cardinals got the score to within two possessions with a made free throw at 3:04 to cut the deficit to 52-46.
Sequim’s Hope Glasser hit a clutch layup with 1:59 left to open the lead back up to 54-46. North Idaho scored 19 seconds later to make it 54-48, but the Pirates held the Cardinals scoreless over the final 1:40, forcing a turnover and three missed 3-pointers. Keeli-Jade Smith, who led the Pirates with 20 points, finished off the scoring with a pair of free throws with 21 seconds left to ice the game.
It was the Pirates’ 12th straight win and the 13th game this season that the Peninsula defense has held an opponent below 50 points.
Smith pulled down seven boards to go with her 20 points. Port Angeles’ Madison Cooke had one of her best games of the year with 14 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks, making up for the loss of her former Roughriders teammate, Long. Ituau Tuisaula had 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, while Glasser added seven points and four steals. They were the only four Pirates who scored.
Portland (18-11), a No. 3 seed out of the South Region, beat Centralia 86-75 in the Panthers’ tournament opener.
If the Peninsula women win Sunday night, they will be in the NWAC Final Four, which will begin Saturday, also at Everett Community College.
Peninsula 56, North Idaho 48
NI 11 12 12 13 — 48
PC 17 14 13 12 — 56
North Idaho (48) — Banks 11, Pimperton 9, Hagy 7, Beam 5, Harry 4, Mpoyo 3, Beem 3, Uschmann 3, Graves 3.
Peninsula (56) — Smith 20, Tuisaula 15, Cooke 14, Glasser 7.
