Once the battle for third place was over, Rams post player Tia Briggs summed up the win-after-a-tough-loss experience in one word.
“Bittersweet,” she said.
The fourth-ranked Rams were fiery, not flat in steamrolling the upstart Wolverines, who knocked off No. 1 Prairie in the 3A regional tournament last weekend.
Wilson lost a 10-point lead in the second half Friday to eventual 3A runner-up Seattle Prep, only to think it tied the game at the end of regulation on Bethany Montgomery’s 3-pointer with two seconds to go.
But an official overruled it, calling it a long two-pointer.
Montgomery was issued a technical foul for taking off her jersey after the officials’ ruling.
Montgomery did not start Saturday, and sat most of the first half because of her antics – a decision made by coach Michelle Birge.
The Rams jumped out to another big lead – 13 points. This time, they kept it.
“It was good to leave on a positive note,” Briggs said.
Briggs led a 9-0 run in the second quarter that gave Wilson a 27-14 halftime lead. She scored four of her 16 points during the decisive spurt.
Third place is the Rams’ highest finish at the state tournament. This was their first trip to the Tacoma Dome.
“We all believed we’d be in the championship. We were heartbroken,” Birge said. “We came in relaxed and ready to play.”
Leah Traxel, staff writer
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