By Karrington Kincaid, The Seattle Medium
In a key Metro League showdown on Friday night, the Roosevelt Roughriders (9-2, 5-1 Metro) fended off a tough Bishop Blanchet Bears squad (5-6, 4-2 Metro) at Roosevelt High School, earning a 53-41 victory and maintaining their position near the top of the 3A standings.
With both teams fighting for playoff positioning in one of the most competitive leagues in the state, the game opened with intensity but also a flurry of missed shots and early turnovers as both teams worked through early-game nerves. Brooke Campbell helped the Bears settle in first, converting back-to-back two-point shots to give Blanchet an early 4-0 lead.
However, that early momentum didn’t last long.
Roosevelt’s Giselle Dollar caught fire, hitting back-to-back 3s and completing a three-point play on a foul, quickly swinging the lead in Roosevelt’s favor. Dollar poured in 11 first-quarter points as the Roughriders rallied to take a 14-10 lead heading into the second quarter.
Despite some shooting struggles, Blanchet kept pace thanks to Campbell’s steady scoring and free throws from Stella Na. The Bears continued to fight through Roosevelt’s pressure, but the second quarter belonged to the Rough Riders’ balanced offense and tough defense.
Roosevelt put together a 12-point second quarter behind 3-point shots from Dollar and Audrey Richardson and interior scoring from Carmen Derda, Ellery Burke-Brown and Sloane Spangers. Their defense forced multiple missed shots from the Bears, who struggled to convert open looks. Blanchet, however, stayed within reach thanks to five second-quarter points from Fran Marona, a key basket from Na and a free throw from Campbell, as they trailed the Roughriders 26-19 at halftime.
Blanchet made noticeable halftime adjustments, particularly on the defensive end, where they did a much better job containing Dollar, who was held scoreless in the third quarter. But as one scoring threat cooled off, another stepped up.
Ellery Burke-Brown took charge in the second half, scoring nine of Roosevelt’s 11 third-quarter points. She attacked the basket aggressively and earned multiple trips to the free-throw line, converting five of her attempts. Despite Burke-Brown’s big quarter, the Bears managed to outscore Roosevelt 12-11 thanks to Campbell’s eight points, plus timely baskets from Marona and Na, as they trimmed their deficit to 37-31 heading into the final quarter.
With the game hanging in the balance, Campbell led an early fourth-quarter charge by the Bears, scoring five points to quickly cut into Roosevelt’s lead.
Despite the final push by the Bears, Roosevelt responded with poise and execution. Derda hit a clutch mid-range jumper to halt the Blanchet run and swing the momentum back in favor of the Roughriders. From there, Roosevelt locked in defensively and capitalized on Blanchet’s missed shots and turnovers. Emma Curtis made several key plays down the stretch, scoring on back-to-back possessions and knocking down free throws. Spangers also added a late 3-pointer to help seal the game.
In the final minutes, Blanchet’s attempts to extend the game through fouls couldn’t overcome Roosevelt’s composure at the line and fast-paced execution. As the clock wound down, Roosevelt’s lead held firm, and they walked away with the 53-41 win.
This week, Roosevelt will be on the road to take on the West Seattle Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m., while the Blanchet Bears will face the Garfield Bulldogs on Friday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m.
Pictorial Highlights of Roosevelt vs Blanchet
