The Carlmont varsity girls basketball team clinched a decisive victory over the Washington Eagles with a score of 40-28 in an intense game on Dec. 13.
The Eagles came out strong, opening with a 7-0 run in the first few minutes of the game. However, led by senior team captain Willow Ishibashi-To, the Scots quickly regrouped and closed out the first quarter, reclaiming the lead at 10-7.
The second quarter saw lots of back-and-forth action, with Washington tying the game 12-12 on a free throw with four minutes left. After a few more points were scored for both teams, Scot sophomore Addison Glover shifted the momentum by intercepting a crucial pass and regaining possession for the Scots on an offensive counterattack, helping the Scots enter halftime with a 17-13 lead.
“I was proud of the girls in how they stayed in the press and really got some turnovers off of that,” said Carlmont assistant coach Jen Sze, reflecting on the defensive success of the team.
The third quarter started strong for both teams, but Carlmont began to look stronger. With four minutes remaining, Scot Ishibashi-To weaved through three defenders to score a layup while drawing a foul, extending their lead. Carlmont continued to battle and finished the quarter ahead 32-24.
“We were planning on winning and came in strong, but they have some good players and played really well today,” said Eagle Jessie Chau, who was a standout player despite the result.
The Scots maintained their composure throughout the fourth quarter, with a crucial free throw by senior Arianna Vasiliev in the last five minutes. Just shortly after, senior Cyan Yee would win a defensive rebound that prevented the Eagles from mounting a comeback. Despite increased pressure from Washington in the final minutes, sophomore Sky Yee intercepted a pivotal pass to break the Eagles’ offense.
“Sky had some really great drives in the first quarter and throughout the game, and then I think the rest was like a team effort from everyone,” Sze said.
Ishibashi-To sealed the win for the Scots by sinking a free throw in the final minute, securing a 40-28 victory.
“I’m really just focused on the game. I know there’s a lot of outside noise from both the stands, the benches, and even the coaches, and I kind of try to block all of that out and do the same for my teammates,” Ishibashi-To said, highlighting the importance of teamwork in her role as a team captain.
Coach Sze raised the Scots’ resilience and looks forward to the rest of the season.
“It was a good team win, we needed this one,” Sze said.
