Fiso, Garfield blow past Lakeside, setting up showdown with No. 1 Mead
When Garfield’s scoring is as balanced as it was in Friday night’s Class 3A state semifinal win against Lakeside (Seattle) at the Tacoma Dome, Katie Fiso believes the Bulldogs are hard to beat.
“I feel like when we move the ball around, use each other, use every part of our team, we’re the most unstoppable team in the state of Washington,” said Fiso, the TNT’s reigning state player of the year.
Garfield won 62-45, outscoring Lakeside in every quarter except the first.
Fiso scored a game-high 19 points, Sarah Lessig scored 17 and Maya Davis scored 14 for the Bulldogs. Garfield’s defense held Columbia commit Mia Broom to 12 points and out-rebounded the Lions 41 to 22.
“Mia’s a hell of a player,” Fiso said. “I love playing against her. Really just stop her, stop Willa (Chinn) and I feel like the game just turned in our favor.”
Garfield, the reigning 3A state champion, will face top-seeded Mead (Spokane) in Saturday’s championship game.
“Let’s do it, man,” Fiso said. “Last dance. Last game for me. Just leaving it all on the floor.”
Fiso will be headed to the University of Oregon next year to continue her basketball career. But first, she’ll have a chance to defend Garfield’s title with her teammates in her final high school game. They’ll have to knock off the tournament’s top seed to repeat.
“We played them last year, but obviously it’s a new team,” she said. “They’re well-coached. They have two pretty solid players. Just coming into the game, same attitude we came in with this one. Just trying to get the dub.”
