Girls reach goals despite two losses at districts
By Matt Phelps
Mercer Island Reporter
A good year for most teams would not be earning the sixth and final seed to the league tournament, finishing with an overall record under .500 for the season and two consecutive losses at the district tournament.
But then again, most teams don’t have the youth, and history of struggles, of the Islander girls’ basketball team.
“It was very successful,” said Mercer Island center Georgia Gier of the season. “It was better than I could have hoped.”
The Islanders made it to districts with just one senior, Gier, two juniors and a vast improvement in the only statistical category that counts — wins. Mercer Island finished the season with an 11-12 record overall. The record is four wins better than last season. The Islanders finished in last place in 3A KingCo with three wins two seasons ago.
“We are moving up hill,” said Mercer Island head coach Jamie Prescott. “They have it in them to keep this momentum going.”
The final week of play put Mercer Island against tough Metro competition. The Islanders received a rare home playoff game Feb. 20 as they took on Rainier Beach, losing 46-41. The Islanders struggled to keep pace with a quick Viking team, trailing by 10 points heading into the final eight minutes of play. But a sense of urgency pulled Mercer Island closer to Beach but time ran out on the Islanders’ comeback hopes.
“Other teams saw how young we were and went right at that,” said Prescott. “They really pressured us.”
That pressure led to the end Islanders district run. The team’s game against Holy Names, a 44-35 loss, was an agonizing display of futility from the floor as the young Islanders struggled to adapt to the Cougars’ full-court press. But a late fourth-quarter comeback allowed the team to walk off the hardwood with their heads held high Thursday at Ingraham High School in Seattle.
“We have just been off sometimes this year and this was one of those times,” said Gier. “It was just bad timing.”
Mercer Island’s inability to put the ball through the net put the team in a deep hole as they shot 1-for-14 to start the contest. The Cats took advantage, building a 24-12 lead by halftime. Gier was the only Islander to make a basket from the floor as the rest of the team shot a dismal 0-for-13 during the first half.
“We had a bad, bad start,” said Islander sophomore Janelle Chow.
Shooting woes continued during the third period, burying the Mercer Island girls in an avalanche of frustration and Cougar points. Holy Names extended their lead to 22 points during the quarter before Mercer Island waged a comeback.
A late three-pointer from freshman Alex Paul-Hayter and six free throws from Gier pulled the team closer. Gier, who struggled from the line this season, finished the game 8-for-8 from the free-throw stripe.
Ultimately, as it had against Beach, Mercer Island ran out of time.
“We have improved each year and we will continue to improve,” said Chow.
But the Islandersa finish was not without some celebration.
“We set a goal of making it to districts when the season began,” said Gier. “I had never been to districts and we accomplished that. I hope that I left the girls with inspiration and fire.”
The impact of Gier’s presence in the program and on the varsity squad has been immeasurable according to her teammates and coaches. The improvement in record and Gier’s play were no coincidence.
“She is a great leader,” said Chow. “She would pump us up at practice and really push us.”
Gier set the program’s all-time record in rebounds, 20, during a game against Newport this past season. She finished her final game as an Islander with seven blocked shots, 18 rebounds and 16 points.
“She let the younger kids know what was expected of them and what the coaches expect of them,” said Prescott. “She was never negative and showed them how to work hard at practice.”
The senior is signed to play at Colgate University next season.
