HERMISTON, Ore.-The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) District 6 3A Tournament gets underway this weekend and the Hermiston Girls Basketball team will host a playoff game on February 14.
“We’ve worked hard to reach this point,” said Hermiston Head Coach Jay Ego. “Now it’s time to stay focused and do everything we can to keep our season going.”
Hermiston, the number one seed from the Mid-Columbia Conference (MCC), and number 2 overall in District 6, will host Shadle Park out of the Greater Spokane League (GSL).
“This is the best seeding we’ve had since I’ve been playing,” said Mika Cherry, a senior guard for the Bulldogs. “We’re really excited to have homecourt advantage and be able to play in front of our supporters.”
Playoffs are about surviving and advancing, as the number two seed at Districts, Hermiston could, with a few wins, potentially end up hosting the District Championship game on February 20.
“We worked really hard all season for this,” said Sofia Rodriguez, a sophomore point guard/shooting guard for the Bulldogs. “We’re so excited, we love to play in front of the home crowd, the energy should be nice.”
Hermiston went 15-5 in the regular season (13-5 in the MCC), overcoming injuries and some tough losses to keep their dreams of a state title run alive.
“Our strength has been our ability to grow and adapt as a team,” Ego said of the Bulldogs’ season. “Also, it’s always a good advantage that anyone we put on the floor is an offensive threat.”
The Bulldogs’ prolific offense topped 60 points in ten of the team’s 15 wins, scoring over 70 points three times, and going over 80 once.
The keys for the Bulldogs against Shadle Park, 6-13 overall (2-7 in the GSL), will be continuing to improve defensively, while staying aggressive on offense, and playing for each other, according to Ego.
“The first half of the season was rough, but we came together and really redeemed ourselves, and the defense significantly improved and saved us,” said Cherry.
Tipoff between Hermiston and Shadle Park is set for 2 p.m. in the Hermiston High School Gym on February 14. The game will also be livestreamed on the NFHS Network.
“There’s a strong sense of community that comes from supporting our local high school teams,” said Ego. “We’re incredibly fortunate to have such outstanding support from our community and sports boosters.”
