By Kevin Manning

Seattle Prep shut down the Kamiakin’s offense in the fourth quarter to pick up a hard-fought 46-39 win in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A girls’ basketball tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

Michaela Carew (16 points, 6-of-10 field goals) was a puzzle the Braves couldn’t solve – every time the Braves senior Courtney Nelson (15 points, 3-18 FG, 2-5 three-pounters) made a move to the basket, the 6-foot-2 Carew was there to meet her.

Carew, who will be a Montana State walk-on, finished the game with seven rebounds and six blocked shots – three of them late in the fourth quarter.

With less than a minute left in the game, the Panthers led 42-39 when a Carew block opened up a Mary Ann Santucci’s fast-break. Santucci (14 points, 5-10 FG) was fouled on the play.

“We were just trying to pressure some of their key players and we knew they would look for them,” Santucci said of the Panther pressure focused on Nelson, the Braves star player.

Santucci made four free-throws in the final minute to secure the Panthers victory.