Players were missing from both sides due to injuries, but the girls put on a full-bore performance that included everything needed in a classic basketball game. There was skill, aggression, drama and emotion throughout the four quarters of Inglemoor High’s 55-50 comeback victory over Bothell High Friday night.
Viking sophomore guard Taylor Peacocke — who missed four games with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain — hit the ground more than anyone, but had the energy to lead the way with 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Two Peacocke free throws put the Viks ahead for good, 51-50, with 34 seconds left in the game. Sophomore guard Alexis McLeod had 13 points, while senior wing Sarah Breysse and sophomore wing Katie Taylor had 11 points each.
“They really did give us a run,” said Breysse, whose team improved to 5-7 in 4A Kingco and 7-10 overall. “It was a real physical game. We had a lot of injuries this year and a lot of girls toughed it out a lot. It was scrappy, but we pulled it out, and it’s always a great feeling to beat Bothell.”
Bothell junior wing Kareena Dahl led all scorers with 18 points and 10 rebounds, followed by sophomore wing Kendra Heyer with nine points and eight rebounds and senior point guard Kayla Gleed with eight points.
The Cougars (0-12, 1-15) seemed destined to notch their first league win after junior wing Tracy Rider hit a baseline jumper to go ahead 50-43 with 2:15 remaining in the game. Heyer and Gleed also hit key shots earlier in the second half to boost Bothell.
“It was just really intense. I could tell everyone wanted to be out there, everyone wanted to win, just wanted the game and I think it showed,” said Dahl. “Our bench was really excited and we were all there for each other. If we made a mistake, we shook it off and made up for it on defense.”
On her success, Dahl continued: “We had a lot of good movement with the ball and a lot of good screens, so I was able to get open and get my shot off.”
As for Inglemoor, its bench area resembled a crutch factory with some of the injured hobbling about. On the sideline were Jessie Zou (dislocated kneecap), Larissa Ashby (torn ACL), Sara Butterfield (partially torn medial collateral ligament) and Deidre Miller (torn ACL).
“They play a big role in keeping us confident in ourselves, and they are always there for support. They always want to be there to learn, so when they do come back, they can play,” Breysse said of the injured girls. “They believe in us more than we believe in ourselves sometimes — they’re always there to help.”
And Inglemoor needed everything in its arsenal against Bothell on Friday.
“We make sure we play together as a team, as one, and not just five separate players trying to do their own thing,” Breysse said. “It takes knowing that you just want to win that badly … Just to work hard and get that gratification that you left it all out on the court.”
As for Dahl and Bothell, she feels the team rose to the rivalry occasion and played its best game of the season against Inglemoor.
“I think everyone’s disappointed that we lost. I think we also learned a lot (intensity and togetherness) from this game and we can take that to our next game,” she said.
