Comets win playoff for 4th place finish in Pacific

Courtesy of The Chinook Observer
Comets win playoff for 4th place finish in Pacific Girls to play at Castle Rock or Rochester in district tournamentBy PHIL RAISTAKKAObserver corespondentWESTPORT - The Naselle Comets girls did it the hard way, but they did it, and they will play another game in Lyle Patterson Gym this season. The Comets beat the Tacoma Baptist Crusaders in a playoff game for fourth place, 56-48, in the Ocosta High School gym Feb. 9. With the win, the Comets earned the Pacific League's fourth place spot and a home game in their first District 4 Tournament game.The Comets play their first tournament game against the Morton Huskies, the Central League's fifth place team on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in Naselle. A win in that game would put them up against undefeated Napavine, the Central League's first place team this Friday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. in the Castle Rock High School gym. A loss in their first tournament game would put them into a game at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, in the Rochester High School gym against an opponent still to be determined.The three-point shooting of three players - Brandi Keightley, Erin Saari and Kellyn Pakenen - and taking care of the ball (only 13 turnovers) went a long way toward earning the playoff game win for the Comets. Between the three of the Comets outside shooters, they made six of eight treys to add 18 points to the Naselle total. Keightley led the "attack of the threes" by sinking three of four tries. In fact, the Comets 75 percent shooting on their three-ball tries far exceeded their two-point shooting which was 31 percent.Keightley led the Comets scoring with 13 points, Saari added 10 and four other players scored significant points. Ashley Ahlstrom had eight points, Cheryl Steppe and Colette Beaulaurier seven points each and Emily Green six points. Steppe pulled down 10 rebounds, six of them on the offensive board, and Ahlstrom added nine carom recoveries.Naselle jumped off to a 16-10 first quarter lead but saw the Crusaders come back with a 19-12 second period. The Crusaders had a one point, 29-28, lead at the half. Naselle then outscored the Crusaders 28-19 the rest of the way. The Comets won the third quarter battle 11-5 to lead 39-34 after three quarters. Naselle took care of business by adding three points to their lead with a 17-14 fourth quarter for their eight point win.The Comets overall record climbed to 12-9 for the season.

Naselle (56) - Brandi Keightley 13, Erin Saari 10, Ahlstrom 8, Steppe 7, Beaulaurier 7, Green 6, Pakenen 3, Klinger 2;

FG (2/s) - 13 of 42 for 31 percent,
(3's) - 6 of 6,
FT - 12 of 18 for 67 percent;
Rebounds (35): Steppe 10, Ahlstrom 9, Keightley 5, Beaulaurier 4;
Steals: Pakenen 4;
Turnovers (13)

Tacoma Baptist (48) - (Individual statistics not available)