Three was the magic number in the Juanita gym Friday night. Three times in the third quarter, Juanita cut a double-digit Mercer Island lead to single digits. And three times, the Islanders responded, relying on their 3-point shot to maintain a double-digit advantage.

Knocking down nine 3-pointers as a team on the evening, Mercer Island girls basketball beat Juanita 68-54 Friday night at Juanita High School, improving to 10-5 on the season and 6-2 in KingCo.

Julia Blumenstein accounted for six of Mercer Island’s 3-pointers, leading the Islanders in scoring with 20 points.

“We had a great shooting night, and that [doesn’t happen] every night,” coach Kaela Yuen said. “Julia shoots really well in this gym, which is weird because the depth perception is kind of tough to shoot with. She always has great games when we come here, and she just stepped up and was a senior tonight and put a lot of the scoring responsibility on her shoulders.”

The Islanders overcame a sluggish start to extend a three-point first-quarter lead to 17 in the second period. Juanita (6-11, 4-5) managed to cut the deficit to nine, getting seven points from Jaisa Nunn to close out the half trailing 35-26.

A basket from Natalie Kalda brought Juanita within seven in the third, before Mercer Island unleashed from beyond the arc. Knocking down five 3-point field goals as a team for the quarter, with three coming from Blumenstein, the Islanders extended its lead to 17 heading into the fourth. The Rebels would get no closer than 11.

Nunn led all scorers with 21 points. Jess Blakeslee posted a double-double for Mercer Island, with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Back in action for Mercer Island was starting post player Anna Luce, who returned after suffering a broken nose against Bellevue on Jan. 14. Sporting a protective mask, Luce scored 13 points for the Islanders, while helping space the floor and giving her team the paint presence they missed in her absence.

“Getting the inside-out looks are vital to our success, and [Luce] is such a strong inside player for us,” Yuen said. “Within her limit, she played very well. And because we got the ball inside, we were very successful from the 3-point line. I think she makes a difference. When our subs got in there, we got it inside-out. All our posts were very good passers today.”

Next, Mercer Island travels to Interlake High School to take on the Saints at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28.