Eatonville’s Lillian Bickford scores over a defender in a game earlier in the season. Bickford scored a career-high 16 points in the Cruisers’ 53-31 win over Elma on Jan.17.
Cheryl Taylor
After getting off to a slow start, the Lady Cruisers basketball team turned the offense on and ran away from the Elma Eagles in a 1A Evergreen Conference match-up on Jan. 17.
Eatonville sophomore Lillian Bickford scored a career-high 16 points as she helped her team pick up its third league win, 53-31.
It took Eatonville until midway through the first quarter before recording the first bucket of the night. Once the Cruisers scored that basket, the offense started flowing through Bickford as she scored 11 of the team’s 14 points. The Eagles didn’t have an answer for the sophomore center down low.
“Lillian stepped up and found her groove early,” coach Deanna Anderson said. “She is putting in lots of work and gaining confidence.
“Her strength and positioning are improving as the season progresses,” Anderson added. “She is determined to be one of our biggest threats in the future. Her height makes her a target. Therefore, learning the mental side is as challenging as the physical.”
The Cruisers enjoyed an early 14-5 lead heading into the second, which saw Brooke Blocker’s jump shot heat up. She scored six points in the quarter to help the Cruisers extend their lead to 15, at 28-13, at the half.
The Elma offense got rolling a bit in the third quarter. The Eagles scored 10 points to the Cruisers’ 12, giving Eatonville a 17-point cushion entering the final quarter.
Bailey Andersen, who only had seven points at the half, started to heat up. She dropped in 10 points in the final frame to help lift the Cruisers to their 11th win of the season and third in league play. Andersen led the team in scoring with 19 points.
The Lady Cruisers now sit at 11-3 overall and 3-1 in Evergreen Conference play and have a firm grip on second place.
The Cruisers will now gear up for their big rematch with first-place Montesano. Eatonville will host the Bulldogs at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
EATONVILLE 53, ELMA 31
Eatonville 14 14 12 13 — 53
Elma 5 8 10 8 — 31
Eatonville: Bailey Andersen 19, Lillian Bickford 16, Brooke Blocker 6, Sara Smith 4, Ryan Stammen 3, Hannah Kralik 3, Saide Mettler 2.
Elma: Emmie Spencer 9, Aubrey Moore 8, Aaleigha Weld 6, Mia Monroe 4, Karly Rambo 2, Malia Sibbett 2.
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