Blaine girls give up big second quarter in loss to Ferndale

By Oliver Lazenby

The Blaine varsity girls basketball team has a solid overall record of 5–6, but they hasn’t yet won a Conference game.

The Borderites playoff hopes are still alive, however, because the majority of their conference games are coming up in the second half of the season and they’ve already played some of the bigger schools in the conference.

The Borderites have made a pattern of giving up one bad quarter in some of their tougher games this season. A 55–33 Blaine loss in their most recent home game against Ferndale (5–5, 3–2 in conference games) on January 9 is a good example. Subtract the score from the second quarter, in which Ferndale outscored Blaine 23–1, and the game would have been a tie.

Josie Deming gets fouled going for a layup in the Third quarter against Ferndale. Photo by Oliver Lazenby.

“We’re not far off from being in the game with Ferndale. It’s just a late pass here, a late catch here, a missed layup – stuff like that,” Pike said. “It’s not like we’re getting pounded, it’s just a little thing here or there.”

Blaine got off to a 10–4 lead three minutes into the first quarter, but Ferndale turned up the pressure on defense after that and had a huge second quarter. Ferndale sunk four of its six three-pointers in the second quarter and forced Blaine to run down the shot clock and take weak shots.

“They’re lanky and fast. They like to pressure the ball and go for steals,” Pike said. “Sometimes things go bad and it kind of snowballs before you can have a chance to take some time and calm down.”

By halftime, Ferndale led 35–11, thanks in part to high-scorer Gabby Edison who racked up 11 points in the game. Ferndale’s offense is varied: of its 12 players, only one went scoreless on

Monday.

After scoring just one point in the second quarter, the Borderites regained composure and came back to score 24 in the second half.

Brynn Hallberg led the Borderites offense with 13 points, nine of which came on free throws. Josie Deming scored eight and pulled in six rebounds and Ashley Dickerson scored

seven.

“I respect my girls because they don’t give up and they don’t quit. We just need to play a solid four quarters and not give up those big quarters,” Pike said.

Playing a solid four quarters should be easier in the next couple of weeks, as the Borderites face some smaller 2A opponents.

“I think we have a good shot at the playoffs,” Pike said.

Next, the Borderites play Meridian at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, January 12. The team’s next home game starts at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, January 24, against Lynden.