Davis of Yakima ends Eastlake's reign as WIAA 4A girls basketball champion

Pirates led 17-point lead slip away, but make free throws to put away Wolves, 59-54, in loser-out first-round game Wednesday

TACOMA, Wash. - Long before Eastlake's run to the Class 4A girls basketball championship last March, Davis of Yakima had made an early tournament exit. and was already thinking about next season.

One thing Pirates coach Akil White wanted to see was how standout guard Esmeralda Galindo would adjust to a wave of incoming talent.

Galindo did by sacrificing some of her own scoring to get others involved.

It's worked out all season - and it hit a new pinnacle Wednesday.

The Pirates won their first state-tournament game ever by knocking out the defending champions.

After blowing a 17-point lead, Davis got two big mid-range baskets from talened ninth grader Cheyenne Hull, and continued to make free throws in a 59-54 victory over the Wolves in the opening round of the WIAA championships in the Tacoma Dome

Galindo and Hull led the Pirates with 17 points apiece as they survived a fourth-quarter scoring onslaught by Eastlake's Tatum Wood, who had 14 of her game-high 22 points in the final seven minutes.

White said Hull is referred to around the program as "The Unicorn" for her unmatched maturity and poise at such a young age.

"She is so multi-faceted in everything," White said. "She gets better every game.."

At one point early in the third quarter, Eastlake trailed 38-31 - but held Davis to just one field goal over an eight-minute stretch.

Krista Kostoff's basket with 4:38 to go tied it at 42-42.

But Galindo and Hull, plus efficient free-throw shooting (22-for-31) were enough to pull the Pirates through to the next round.

"As I walked off the floor, it was hard to be sad or disappointed about the game," Eastlake girls coach Sara Goldie said, "because we battled back and we were right there."