Borden’s 3-pointer forces overtime, Spartans overcome Puyallup late

The Sumner High girls basketball team needed a big shot late in the game Saturday against Puyallup.

Freshman guard Jaylin Borden was happy to oblige.

Borden helped her team come back and overcome Puyallup, 44-40, in overtime Saturday at home in a 3A/4A South Puget Sound League nonleague crossover game.

With 12 seconds left and Sumner trailing Puyallup by three points, Borden pulled up and nailed a 20-foot 3-pointer that sent the Spartan bench into a frenzy and force overtime.

When Borden was passed the ball deep on the right wing of the Spartans’ half of the court, the freshman had only a single thought on her mind.

“I knew we were down by three and Kennedy (Cutter) was being doubled — they weren’t going to let her shoot,” she said.

“Once she hit that shot, the whole bench went crazy cheering,” Sumner coach Jordan Moog said. “That gave us all the momentum we needed to get the win in overtime.”

Sumner (4-5, 2-2 league) used that momentum to defeat Puyallup (6-4, 3-1) in overtime.

“We didn’t finish the game like we should have,” Puyallup coach Cherokee Ainslie said. “You can’t stop playing, especially against a good team.”

Right from the tipoff of overtime, the game was in Sumner’s favor. As the ref started the toss, Jane Allyn Norris went in motion, which allowed post Kat Clark to tip it in front and in stride with the junior guard. Norris picked up the loose ball and made the easy go-ahead layup to put the Spartans ahead, 40-38.

“That’s our tip play,” Moog said. “When we win the tipoff that gives us a quick and easy basket. Kat was able to put it right where Jane needed it.”

Sumner had the momentum from there as Clark teamed up with Annie Smith (eight points, eight rebounds and four blocks) to force Puyallup to become one dimensional as they locked down the paint.

Each time Puyallup was near the basket, it was Clark or Smith coming up with a block to prevent any easy shots. The pair combined for four blocks in overtime.

“We know that when we work together, we are hard to beat,” Smith said.

Clark finished with a double-double: 12 points and 10 rebounds as well as five blocks in Sumner’s win.

“I just tried to be aggressive and do everything I could for my team,” Clark said.

Puyallup guard Grace Marvin led all scorers with a game-high 16 points for the Vikings. Her final shot helped tie the game at 40, but the Spartan defense came up big from there on out.

“We could have won this game (but) we need to play more together,” Marvin said. “We can win these (close) games if we do that in the future.”

Sumner’s Joy Mahnken scored just four points in the game, but forced a key turnover in the final minute. After recording a steal, Mahnken passed it to Smith, who hit a jumper to put Sumner up 42-40. On Puyallup’s next inbounds, Smith returned the favor and poked the ball to Mahnken, who scored the final two points of the game.

“Me and Joy have a connection out there,” Smith said. “It was nice to get it from her and then return the favor the next play.”

Sumner heads out of the winter break sitting in fifth place in the 3A SPSL, while Puyallup is tied for second (4A South) with Emerald Ridge (5-4, 3-1) heading into the second half.

This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Borden’s 3-pointer forces overtime, Spartans overcome Puyallup late."