Sharp-shooting Lewis and Clark spoils tournament favorite Kentridge’s bid for second 4A title in three seasons

Jucinta Buckley isn’t one to hide her bubbling excitement — or supreme confidence.

The Lewis and Clark High School standout knew what it would take to trip up the giant of Class 4A girls basketball.

“Stops and buckets,” she said.

Well, it was the buckets portion that was the landslide that buried the Kentridge Chargers.

Scorching-hot shooting sent the Tigers into their first state championship game since 2011 with a 64-55 semifinals victory over Kentridge on Friday night in the Tacoma Dome.

Lewis and Clark (23-3) will play Eastlake at 7 p.m. Saturday for the 4A crown.

Kaylee Bishop led the TIgers with 22 points, including a 6-of-6 showing from the 3-point line. Buckley added 15, and Dominique Arquette had 12.

Jordyn Jenkins led all scorers with 23 points for Kentridge (25-3), which was vying for its second championship game appearance in three seasons. Washington signee JaQuaya Miller chipped in with 17.

But, both coaches agreed on the game’s deciding factor — making shots early.

“We attacked well, and we knocked down shots,” Lewis and Clark coach Gabe Medrano said. “It set the tone.”

The Tigers did not miss a shot in the first six minutes. Only one did not go down in the first quarter as they broke out to a 21-9 lead.

“That was a good quarter, huh?” the always-colorful Buckley said. “We got in their head early. They saw what we were bringing, and they were not prepared like we were.”

Lewis and Clark’s lead ballooned to 20 points — 41-21 — early in the second half before the Chargers kicked it into high gear.

They scored 14 unanswered points in the final 4:58 of the third quarter. Jenkins and Miller combined for 12 of them. Lewis and Clark’s lead shrunk to 41-35.

“We had a goal at the end of the third quarter — and reached it by cutting it to six (points),” Kentridge coach Brad McDowell said. “Then they came out and hit that one 3-pointer (by Arquette) … and it was tough sledding after that.”

Trailing by seven points with less than two minutes remaining, Kentridge decided to start fouling. The Tigers made nine of 10 free throws to close it out.

The Greater Spokane League champions shot 51.2 percent from the floor (21 of 41).

“There have been a couple of teams that has shot it well against us — but not that well,” McDowell said. “It was pretty impressive.”

TEAM STATISTICS

LC – Shooting: 21 of 41 (51.2 percent). Free throws: 12 of 14 (85.7). Turnovers: 12.

K – Shooting: 19 of 50 (38.0 percent). Free throws: 16 of 20 (80.0). Turnovers: 10.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

LC – Kaylee Bishop 22, Jacinta Buckley 15, Andi Zylak 7, Dominique Arquette 12, Anna Reeves 2, Sativa Rogers 4, Jaimyn Sides 2.

K – Hana Mcvicker 6, Daylani Ballena 4, Jordyn Jenkins 23, Jaquaya Miller 17, Kiernen Denckla 5.