SK nabs final district berth with OT victory over Foss

Mike Allen didn’t care if his team was given a phantom point early in the fourth quarter that ended up helping his South Kitsap High School girls basketball team to a 64-61 overtime win against Foss at the Bremerton High School gym Saturday afternoon.

The win capped SK’s survival of winning two loser-out games and earning the West Central District’s seventh and final berth.

SK (11-11 overall) opens district play on the road at No. 2 state-ranked Enumclaw (19-1) tonight at 7 p.m.

SK’s extra point ended up being the difference between a loss or sending the game into overtime.

The scoring discrepancy occurred after SK’s Leah Kendrick made a second free throw but was called for a lane violation.

The point was added to the score, though.

There was no controversy, since neither coaches nor the official scorekeepers noticed the change.

The point ended up helping SK, though it shouldn’t have mattered if SK had made its free throws and played defense down the stretch.

Up 57-55 with the ball and 17 seconds remaining, SK’s Sharon Daly was fouled, but missed her one-and-one free throw.

After a timeout, Foss’ Zecoya Jones-Moore dribbled the ball all the way down the court and scored an uncontested lay-in to tie the score 57-57 and force the game into overtime.

Had the score been correct, Foss would have won 57-56 right there.

In overtime, Leah Kendrick did her part to extend SK’s season to at least two more games.

The sophomore led the Wolves with 21 points, but her six overtime points were the most critical points of the game.

Kendrick’s pair of free throws gave SK a 59-57 lead, but Jones-Moore countered with a bucket.

SK’s Rebekah Proctor hit one of two free throws to put SK up one, but Foss came back to take the lead on Jones-Moore’s basket.

Down 61-60, Kendrick hit a turnaround jumper in the middle of the key to regain the lead 62-61.

Foss turned the ball over, which led to an SK breakaway.

A Foss player managed to deflect the pass but it went right into Kendrick’s hands.

Kendrick made the easy layup to give SK a 64-61 lead with five seconds left.

Foss set up for one play and Jones-Moore managed to make it to the three-point arch but her left-handed runner hit off the front of the rim.

Considering SK’s poor luck this year, Allen said it was time his team caught a break.

“I’m just happy to get (to districts),” Allen said. “All the stuff we’ve dealt with this year — academics and injuries — it’s a bonus to get there.”

Last time any SK players faced Enumclaw was during the summer, when SK had just five girls for that game. SK got crushed.

Allen recognizes the challenge but he is approaching it with candor.

“They’re awesome, but everybody needs to fall sometime,” he said. “We know. We fell often.”

SK senior Olivia Bui said SK could pull some surprises if it plays the way it’s capable.

“We’re good enough to beat Enumclaw,” Bui said. “They’ve gotten better, but we’ve gotten better, too. If we play the way I know we can play and be at our best, then it won’t be a problem.”

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