Daniels fights injury to lead Garfield past Lake Washington and secure 3A title, 55-41
After three state tournament games, Garfield senior star Dalayah Daniels was averaging just 6.7 points per game as she was still recovering from an ankle injury suffered in December.
Still, the ninth-ranked Bulldogs found themselves taking on No. 6 Lake Washington for the 3A state championship on Saturday night.
As stars often do, Daniels saved her best for last, scoring 18 points to lead her team to the 55-41 win and the championship.
“I injured myself and I think a lot of people lost respect for me, but I knew that it wasn’t about me,” Daniels said. “It was bigger than me. I had to come back and fight even harder than before I was injured and just come back and get my team a ring, and we did that. It was so important to me.”
Head coach Marvin Hall said Daniels was motivated to have a big game in the championship.
“She forgot about her ankle and just gave us everything she had tonight,” Hall said. “I think she knew what was on the line. This is her last year. I think it just went on. She was going to go out with a bang.”
Daniels was named first-team all-tournament. Her teammate, senior Meghan Fiso was named the tournament MVP. Fiso scored nine points, all of which came in the first half in Saturday’s championship game.
“She has carried us, majorly,” Hall said. “She has totally just put this team on her back and carried us here, and (Dalayah) just put the icing on the cake tonight.”
The Bulldogs also got a lift from senior guard Kira Wood. Wood was scoreless in their victory over Arlington in the semifinals on Friday, missing all eight of her shots, but she rebounded with three big 3-pointers against the Kangaroos in the championship game.
“She’s been waiting for this moment all her life,” Hall said of Wood. “For her to come into this game and do that on the biggest stage of high school basketball in Washington state was just incredible tonight.”
The Bulldogs (23-7) had injuries to four key players this season. They lost every game they played at a holiday tournament in Arizona and lost all three of their matchups with No. 1 Eastside Catholic. But there was never a doubt they were one of the most talented teams in the state as most thought they were when they were ranked No. 1 to start the season. On the biggest stage, they proved it.
“A lot of people counted this team out,” Hall said. “RPI put us way down. They really messed us up, but it’s fine. For these guys to come back and take the road that they took, a loser-out game in regionals, a loser-out game on Wednesday, for them to take this path is just incredible.”
With the girls championship, Garfield swept the 3A basketball titles this year. The fourth-ranked boys team blew out defending state champion and seventh-ranked O’Dea to win its second title in three years earlier Saturday evening.
Lake Washington (22-7) settles for a second-place trophy after knocking off fourth-ranked Mt. Spokane in the quarterfinals and top-ranked Eastside Catholic in the semis. Of course, the Kangaroos wanted to win it all, but after a 2-18 season just two years ago, this year’s tournament run was a big step for the program.
“Yes, we’re upset, but we’re so proud of them,” Lake Washington head coach Jeff Wilson said. “Second-place is an amazing accomplishment. That’s what we want them to take out of this. We don’t want them to hang their heads. Second-place is unbelievable.”
At Tacoma Dome
Lake Washington- 4 16 8 13 - 41
Garfield - 7 16 22 10 - 55
Lake Washington – Sophia Liesse 4, Ellie Pederson 1, Elise Hani 4, Jen Estes 6, Rosa Smith 17, Sydney Hani 7, Emma Boctor 0, Hannah Sitterud 2. Garfield – Dalayah Daniels 18, Meghan Fiso 9, Kareyna Taylor 4, Sahcari Davis 7, Kira Wood 9, Lucille Richardson 0, Kiana Davis 0, Navaeh Talbert 4, Saniya Rahman 0, Kamia Crudup 4, Tahja Henderson 0, Desiree Lane 0.