'We knew we could run:' No. 2 Spartans beat No. 3 Pasco, will play for Class 4A girls title in first state appearance

Alyson Deaver's 19 points, 10 rebounds helps keep Sumner's unprecedented run alive.

TACOMA, Wash. — Less than a week ago, the Sumner girls basketball team had never so much as won a 4A state tournament game.

Saturday night, they will play for the state championship.

After grinding out an overtime victory over No. 9 Camas in the quarterfinals on Thursday, the Spartans (24-2), pulled away from third-ranked Pasco in the second half of Friday’s semifinals, winning 64-55.

“It’s a big deal,” senior Alyson Deaver said. “It’s something that we’ve worked for since we were in fifth grade. I think that together we can really accomplish it, especially after tonight. We saw some girls step up that haven’t before, and I think that’s a huge part of us being together as a team.”

The victory sets up a title game matchup with top-ranked Woodinville at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The No. 2 Spartans have proven they can win games on the big stage at the Tacoma Dome, and they have learned along the way what it takes to do it. Sophomore point guard Lainee Houillon literally bled for it on Friday. Houillon was forced to the bench in the fourth quarter with a cut above her eye but returned late in the game.

“She’ll be alright, Sumner head coach Katie Hyppa said of Houillon after the game. “She might have a battle-wound, something to remember the tournament forever, but she’ll be alright”

Deaver said it was that kind of toughness that helped propel her team to the win.

“Tonight, was definitely a battle,” Deaver said. “They were physical. I think that was a big part of tonight was just making sure that we were tough, and we came collectively together.”

Deaver was the constant for the Spartans against the Bulldogs. When her teammates were struggling, or when players were hurt, she continued to keep her team in control of the game. Deaver finished with a game-high 19 points, and also grabbed 10 rebounds.

“In my opinion, she’s one of the best players in the state,” Hyppa said. “For her to show up on a big stage, she’s been dreaming of that since she was a little kid. …We go to her time and time again. We told her that during timeouts, ‘Stay poised, the game will come to you.’ And it did in that second half.”

Pasco and Sumner were tied at the end of the first quarter and again at the end of the second. It was the third quarter where the Spartans finally started to impose their will.

“We knew we could run,” Hyppa said. “That’s what we do. It’s no secret. We want to get out and run and we want to control the pace. There were some times in the first half where they were sticking with us and did a good job.

“We talked about that at halftime that we’ve got to get out in transition, defensively as well, and I think we picked things up in the second half in that regard. It helps us get into our flow a little bit. Alyson got a couple of lay-ins in transition, and we feed off that. That’s where you see the fire in their eyes get going a little bit.”

Senior guard Mya Groce led the Bulldogs, who will play No. 5 Eastlake at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday in the third-fifth place game, with 21 points. Senior Taija Mackey added 18.

For those that follow girls basketball in the state, Sumner and Woodinville have seemed to be on a collision course for some time now.

Something the players were just as aware of.

“We’re really excited,” Deaver said. “We thought it was going to be us and Woodinville in the championship for a long time now, so I think it’s going to be a big game. We’re ready, and we’re going to come out with 100 percent energy and effort.”

---Aaron Lommers; @aaronlommers.