Lady Devils make history in dramatic opening round win
Alan Dale/Columbia Basin Herald<br> It was time to celebrate as Wilson Creek's Lady Devils began their first-ever trip to the state finals with an overtime first-round victory on Wednesday afternoon.
YAKIMA — They came out for their first ever jump ball in state tournament history during their Class 1B state first-round game yesterday.
Then the Wilson Creek Lady Devils scored their first points ever in the tournament on a lay-up by Kali Winfrey.
It also gave them their first ever lead in a state game, even building it to 5-0, one minute into their contest against the Taholah Chitwins.
Of course they had to throw in a little first-time drama, falling behind 21-10 at halftime.
Finally, they decided to add a first-time pulsating, clutch overtime 62-59 win behind the 36 points of Ksenja Fredere Wednesday in the Sundome.
Up next? Why, the Wilson Creek Lady Devils’ first, ever. state 1B quarterfinal game.
“It’s really exciting we won our first game,” Fredere said. “I just wanted to win. No one knows Wilson Creek and its like we are on the map.”
Fredere, who scored 23 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, broke the 1B state tournament records for points, field goals attempted (19), free throws made (16) and free throws attempted (24).
Fredere also grabbed 10 rebounds.
“No I haven’t seen anything like it,” Wilson Creek coach Dennis Treat said of Fredere’s performance. “I will say Ksenja is one of the most unselfish, competitive athletes I have ever been around. I am not surprised because I’ve watched Ksenja for years and that attitude and drive has been the same since she was a seventh-grader.”
The game didn’t promise to shake out this way after the frustrating first half.
The Lady Devils (14-7) were plagued by numerous turnovers — 16 — and poor shooting, as they hit at a 18 percent clip compared to the Chitwins’ 41 percent.
Kailani Charley didn’t help Wilson Creek’s cause by hitting four first-half three-pointers.
“That is very typical of us this year,” Treat said. “We coaches joke around a lot and call our offense muddle. We muddled through the first half. It’s not an unusual game. for us.”
Yet the Lady Devils weren’t going to go down without a fight.
A strong defensive effort and some better finishing helped propel them back within seven after Jackie Treat and Brynna Stevens hit back-to-back layups to cut the deficit to 37-30 with 2:55 left in the quarter.
But Taholah ended the quarter on a 7-3 run to lead 44-33 going into the final quarter.
Wilson Creek could have been much closer or even ahead if not for over a dozen missed uncontested layups.
“I felt the whole game that we could win it,” Dennis Treat said. “I just wasn’t sure we would have enough time. I felt confident the whole time.
Then came the fun stuff.
“I think we woke up,” Fredere said.
Wilson Creek began to creep back into it, cutting the deficit to 48-44 on two Fredere free throws and a Winfrey lay-up with 3:43 left in the game.
The Lady Devils continued their comeback and took their first lead since the first quarter on a Fredere jumper at 1:27, and Wilson Creek was up 51-50.
“I was still pretty nervous,” Fredere said. “I felt it could go either way but I felt pretty good about it. I knew it was going to be hard to win still.”
Charley hit a three-pointer at 1:03 to give the Chitwins the lead back and Fredere’s two subsequent free throws tied the game at 53-53 with :59 remaining.
Both teams missed chances to win it — Taholah misfiring on two shots and Fredere’s off-the-mark jumper — to send the game into the extra session.
In overtime the Fredere express continued to roll as she scored the first six points to give Wilson Creek their biggest lead 59-53 with 2:22 left.
“I didn’t want to lose and we were at state and had such a good shot against this team,” Fredere said. “The desire to win took charge.”
Charley hit her final three-pointer at 1:55 to bring the Chitwins back to 59-56.
Fredere then exchanged three free throws with an Alice Johnstone three-pointer and Wilson Creek led 62-59 with 1:12 left.
A few failed Taholah attempts to tie and some offensive confusion equalled Wilson Creek making one final defensive stand and a date in the quarterfinals against Columbia-Hunters at 5:30 p.m.
Winfrey added nine points and 14 rebounds for Wilson Creek and Brynna Stevens added eight points and 13 rebounds.
Wilson Creek outrebounded Taholah (12-10) 66-36.
Charley finished with 28 points, including eight three-pointers, to lead the Chitwins.
“I felt relief and I felt good about the game,” Fredere said. “Everyone played good but mostly I feel relief. I am so completely exhausted I can’t even think straight.”
Now it’s all gravy for the Lady Devils who face fourth-ranked Columbia-Hunters (22-4), a 57-26 winner over previously unbeaten Neah Bay (21-1).
We have nothing to lose, we are not the favorites, we just need to come out and play,” Treat said. “The burden is on the other team to win.”
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