DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Taylor Ford defended at midcourt during the Comets win over Taholah Saturday.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Kyryn Jacot looked to make a cross-court pass during Saturdays game with Taholah.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Sophie Scrabeck wrestled a loose ball free during the Comets 43-31 win over Taholah.

DAMIAN MULINIX/For the Observer

Naselles Lilli Zimmerman defended a shot by Taholahs Nettie Grover.

NASELLE Against their perennial competitor for the Coastal League title, the Lady Comets offense was stymied early. Taholah held Naselle to just one point until the final possession of the first quarter.

Taholah concentrated on denying baskets to stars Tayler Ford and Ellie Chapman, and Naselles third scorer, Taylor Gudmundsen, was out with an illness. The Comets found answers from their rotation of inside players, who also anchored a strong defense. Without any player scoring more than six points, the Comets beat Taholah 41-31 to clinch the Coastal League title on senior night Saturday, Feb. 4.

Ford had burned the Lady Chitwhins for 30 points in Naselles January win, so Taholah knew it could not leave her any space to shoot this time. The Comets took a while to figure out how to attack Taholahs defense. It looked kind of like a man defense, kind of like a zone, said Naselle coach Rose Nisbet. They were playing man on Tayler and Ellie, and inside they had a triangle zone with one player at the top of the key and two near the basket. We figured out where the openings were.

Lily Harman put back her own miss off a baseline drive at the end of the first quarter, cutting the Chitwhins lead to 9-3, and beginning a 19-0 run that lasted through the early third quarter. Our defense feeds our offense, said Chapman. We held them scoreless the whole second quarter, and [those stops] helped get our offense going.

Off a long defensive rebound in that second quarter, Chapman took off and delivered through traffic to Ford, who hit a layup that tied the game at nine. Chapman found Hailey Weston out ahead of the defense shortly after, and fired a long arcing pass to Ford for a 16-9 lead.

The Comets were also finding success in the post, as their frontcourt players set each other up with passes. They were doubling Ellie and Tayler, Weston said. We had open shots if we could get it inside. The Comets post rotation of Weston, Kyryn Jacot, Amelia Tutuu, and Lilli Zimmerman combined for 22 points in the game.

While the Lady Comets were extremely balanced on offense, the Chitwhins relied on Denise Dolan, who scored 15 points. Chapman guarded Dolan and stayed in front of her, reacting quickly to her moves. However, Dolan got going in the third quarter, hitting a three-pointer and scoring twice in fast breaks. Then, with the Comets lead dwindling, Chapman dived to save a ball going out of bounds but threw it right to Dolan, who took off in the open court again. Ford made a fantastic play, getting in Dolans path to the basket and forcing her to pull back; Taholah came up empty on the possession.

Taholah scored five points in the final 30 seconds of the third. Kayleah McCrory rattled in a three-pointer, and Dolan hit a pull-up 16-footer with seven seconds in the period. Taholah won the quarter 18-8, with Dolan scoring nine points in the period, and Taholah led 27-26 heading into the fourth.

Sophie Scrabeck found Tutuu open in the high post for a bucket to start the fourth quarter. That started a 10-0 run, which Scrabeck capped with a pull-up fade-away jumper with 4:12 remaining.

The 54 Chapman leapt between two big defenders to tip an offensive rebound to Ridgeway, then scored on a pass from Ridgeway, a characteristic play in the last regular season game of a memorable career. That gave Naselle a 38-29 lead with 3:25 to go, and the Comets closed out the win.

Kyryn Jacot, Lily Harman and Lilli Zimmerman led Naselle with six points apiece, with Jacot hitting three of four shots. Chapman had six assists, no turnovers, ten rebounds and three steals. Ford came up with four steals.

Senior Night

Naselle honored seniors Ellie Chapman, Tayler Ford, Amelia Tutuu, Kyryn Jacot and Morgan Ridgeway before their final regular season game.

Ford transferred to Naselle as a sophomore and emerged as a reliable double-figures scorer. This is the sweetest group of girls Ive ever been around, she said. The team has grown so much.

Chapman, with her dazzling passes, made her teammates better. Shes a fun teammate, said Hailey Weston, a sophomore. We come up with plays during timeouts, and shes always looking to set other people up. Shes so unselfish; she passes more than she should. Weston credits the recent growth of her own game to Chapman and Ford, along with coach Nisbet. Tayler is funny, but at the same time very serious about basketball, keeping the team focused, Weston said.

Tutuu enjoyed this season more than any other in her basketball career. It went by fast Before this year, I wasnt really much of a basketball person, said Tutuu, who stood out in other sports throughout her career and has emerged as a defensive stopper this season. Ive gained confidence. This team has been together for all sports and gotten closer.

Oakville falls to NHS

OAKVILLE Naselle beat Oakville 49-19 on Jan. 31.

The game got off to a slow start offensively, but Ellie Chapman opened the second period hitting a tough running floater while being fouled. Chapman completed the three-point play just 13 seconds into the quarter for an 11-1 lead. Hailey Weston twice beat the defense down-court for easy baskets to help the Comets build a 22-9 lead by halftime.

Tayler Ford put the game out of reach with nine quick points at the start of the second half. She twice cut along the baseline to work her way open for corner three-pointers. On the second such play, a lunging defender fouled Ford as she made the shot, and Ford converted the four-point play for a 33-9 lead with 5:09 to go in the third.

Ford finished with 18 points, Chapman had 12 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Weston contributed 11 points in the post.

NHS 63, Quinault 18

Naselle beat Lake Quinault 63-18 on Feb. 2. Sophomore Lily Harman had a career-high 15 points, Tayler Ford added 16, and Ellie Chapman had 10 points and 10 assists.

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