Chiefs take down Decatur, 63-54, to advance to Tacoma
CASEY MCCARTHY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 8 months AGO
Junior Meagan Karstetter led Moses Lake with 16 points in the Chiefs’ 63-54 win over Decatur on Saturday.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake senior Camille Carpenter fires the 3-pointer from the corner as the Decatur defender tries to fly in to contest in the second half of the Chiefs’ win o
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Camille Carpenter floats up the shot in between a pair of Gators in the second half of Moses Lake’s matchup with Decatur on Saturday afternoon at Big Bend Communi
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Junior Anna Olson jumps out to contest the shot in the first half of the Chiefs’ 63-54 win over Decatur on Saturday.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Anna Olson and the Moses Lake defense eye the ball as the Decatur guard heads up the floor in the first half of Moses Lake’s 63-54 win.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Senior Madisyn Clark drives past the Decatur defender in front of the Moses Lake student section on Saturday afternoon at Big Bend.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald The Chiefs celebrate after the 63-54 win over Decatur to advance to the 4A Hardwood Classic Tournament in Tacoma.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Senior Madisyn Clark stuffed the stat sheet (15 points, nine rebounds) in Moses Lake’s 63-54 win over Decatur on Saturday afternoon.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Camille Carpenter fires the shot from under the basket as she rises above the Decatur defender at Big Bend on Saturday afternoon.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Meagan Karstetter looks for the pass down low as Camille Carpenter looks to make the pass by the closing Decatur defenders on Saturday.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake senior Madisyn Clark drives in for the layup against a pair of Decatur Gators on Saturday afternoon at Big Bend Community College.
MOSES LAKE — The Chiefs shook off a slow start to pull away from Decatur for the win on Saturday afternoon, 63-54.
“We built an 18-point lead, similar to what we saw against Sunnyside, and, again, we let them come back,” head coach Matt Strophy said. “That’s what you’re gonna see against good teams. And we got some stops when we needed to, and we got some buckets when we needed to.”
Moses Lake took some time to get going early on as the Gators pulled ahead early in the opening minutes. The Chiefs fought back to take the lead heading into the second quarter.
Senior Camille Carpenter led the push for Moses Lake in the first, pouring in seven points in the first eight minutes.
The defense the Chiefs have become known for this season came alive a bit more in the second quarter, while the offense started to cook on the other end. Senior Madisyn Clark finished with seven of Moses Lake’s 19 points in the second quarter as the Chiefs took a double-digit lead into the locker room at the half, 31-21.
Meagan Karstetter led Moses Lake coming out of the break, pouring in seven of the team’s 16 in the third. The Chiefs opened their lead up a bit more as they looked to close out the win in the fourth up 13 at 47-34.
The Gators didn’t go home without a fight.
The Chiefs let Decatur slowly chip away at their lead, with a 12-4 run putting the Gators within five, at 51-46 with five minutes to play. Moses Lake was able to respond in the final minutes, hitting key shots when they needed including a big Anna Olson 3-pointer down the stretch.
Senior Gabi Rios hit free throws in the final seconds to seal the win as the Chiefs held on to advance to the 4A Hardwood Classic in Tacoma.
“We get a good win against a good team, and it doesn’t feel great because we know we’re capable of more,” Strophy said.
Karstetter led the Chiefs with 16 points, adding a pair of boards. Clark just missed the double-double, finishing with 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Carpenter finished with 11 points, three assists and two rebounds. Olson had three triples on her way to 13 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block.
Strophy said after the win he feels like his team is a better shooting team than they showed on Saturday, but credited the defensive effort of Decatur.
What frustrated Strophy the most, he said, was the fact that the Chiefs allowed the Gators to finish each quarter well, something he wants his team to do.
Similar to last week’s district championship game, the Chiefs saw a big lead dwindle in the final minutes. However, Moses Lake was able to come out ahead.
The Chiefs head coach said he’d like to think that’s the mark of a championship team, and he believes his group is “right on the cusp” of reaching that.
Strophy said he had a feeling after Saturday’s win that he’s had a few times this season, coming off a victory despite a performance that wasn’t up to where he wants it.
The Moses Lake coach said he’s proud of his team’s success this season in attaining their goals so far. Strophy said it has taken every one of his fourteen players to reach this point.
Now, Strophy said they just have to get excited to head back to the Tacoma Dome.
The eighth-seeded Chiefs will face off against nine-seed, Rogers (Puyallup), on Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Tacoma.
