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 …

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Shorecrest’s Brianne Lasconia scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to help the Highlanders to a 59-48 win over Kamiakin on Friday in consolation round of the 3A state girls’ basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

The win sends Shorecrest into the fourth place game on Saturday where it will meet Seattle Prep. Friday’s win over Kamiakin also marks the first time in school history the Highlanders have claimed a state trophy. Shorecrest can do no worse than sixth place.

Lasconia did much of her scoring at the free throw line, going 9 for 13 from the charity stripe. Forward Janie Uppinghouse added 15 points with all of those coming from beyond the 3-point line. The Highlanders limited Khadidja Toure, the Braves leading scorer and bound for Oregon State, to nine points on 4 of 18 shooting.
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Franklin’s Qiara Norwood has never considered herself a top scoring threat. Instead she’s
been content to let her older teammates find the basket while she’s done the dirty work on
the boards.

On Thursday in the quarterfinal round of the 3A state girls’ basketball tournament the
junior forward added a little polished chrome to that lunch pail image.

Norwood scored a career-high 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to help No. 3
Franklin to a 64-51 win over undefeated No. 2 Kamiakin. The Quakers jumped out to a
21-5 lead after the first quarter, and then weathered a few rallies by the Braves to advance
to the semifinal.

“Usually I’m happy to let our seniors do the scoring, but I knew I was going to have to
step up,” Norwood said. “It was time. We couldn’t lose this one.”
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STARTING FIVE
G Khadidja Toure, Kamiakin, Sr., 5-9
Set school record for points in a game with 48 this season

G Heather Corral, Prairie, Sr., 6-1
UW recruit will play at state for first time since a freshman

C Michaela Carew, Seattle Prep, Jr., 6-2
Averages a double-double (12 ppg, 10 rpg)

G Bri Lasconia, Shorecrest, Sr., 5-9
Dynamite scorer averages 17.4 ppg

G Patrice Toston, Franklin, Sr., 5-8
Quakers’ leading scorer helped team to 18-game win streak

POWER RANKINGS

1. Prairie (24-1)
Making its 15th straight trip state tournament– the Falcons have three titles and seven finals appearances in that span – coach Al Aldridge’s team is loaded for a run at another championship. Prairie reached the title game last year without Washington-bound guard Heather Corral, but the senior is healthy and gives the balanced Falcons’ title hopes a boost. Guards Megan Lindsley, Cori Woodward and Jackie Lanz all average double-figures in scoring.
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STARTING FIVE

F Mitch Brewe, Seattle Prep, Sr., 6-8
Metro League MVP will play at UC Santa Barbara

G Anrio Adams, Rainier Beach, Sr., 6-3
Will play at the University of Kansas

F Justin Pedley, Kamiakin, Sr., 6-6
Ratcheted up his scoring output in the postseason

C Darien Nelson-Henry, Lake Washington, Sr., 6-11
Massive man in the paint is a mismatch for all

F Mitch Penner, Kennedy Catholic, Sr., 6-5
Driving force behind surging Lancers averaging 23 ppg

POWER RANKINGS

1. Seattle Prep (22-5)
The Panthers enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the state. Prep clipped Lake Washington and Rainier Beach on the way to the Sea-King district title and walloped Mountain View in a winner-to-state game. UC Santa Barbara-bound Mitch Brewe (16.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and guard D.J. Fenner (18.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg) give Prep an explosive one-two scoring punch. The Panthers are a tournament favorite, but split two games this season with quarterfinal foe O’Dea.
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We’ll keep you updated throughout the football state title games on Friday and Saturday, posting play-by-play and in-game analysis in a live chat. We’ll also take any questions you’ve got and give you a place to cheer on your team.

Class 3A: No. 1 Bellevue 38, No. 6 Kamiakin 0

The Class 2B game — No. 2 Lummi vs. No. 3 Cusick — will be carried on the radio by two stations: KPUG in Bellingham and KUBS in Newport.

Check back on Friday night and all day Saturday for a live blog with play-by-play and analysis of the football state championship games.

CLASS 3A
No. 1 Bellevue (12-1) vs. No. 6 Kamiakin (13-0), 4 p.m. Friday, Tacoma Dome
Radio: KJR 950 AM
TV: FSN
Lowdown: Will Bellevue extend its reign over Class 3A or can upstart Kamiakin become the first team to beat the two-time defending state champion Wolverines in a state title game? Bellevue, winners of seven of the last nine championships, was boringly efficient in its 35-7 victory over Lakes in the semifinals. Bellevue overcame two first-quarter turnovers against the Lancers, exploding for four touchdowns in the second quarter. RB Myles Jack ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns and RB Latrelle Dukes, Bellevue’s leading rusher, finished with 112 yards and a touchdown. Read more »