Audrey Mackie and Bailey Breen didn’t disappoint.
The two star players for Oceanside High’s girls’ basketball team combined for 37 points Tuesday afternoon to lead the second-seeded Mariners to a 56-34 victory over third-seeded Spruce Mountain in a Class B South semifinal at the Portland Expo, earning the school’s first trip to a regional final.
They had plenty of help in disposing the Phoenix. Emily Sykes scored nine points, Ahlivia Morris came off the bench to score six pivotal points in the second quarter, and Abby Waterman played a terrific all-around game.
“They are a really, really gifted team,” said Spruce Mountain Coach Zach Keene. “A lot of people think it’s just Bailey and Audrey. That’s not the case. And when that happens, when other players step up and hit shots, they’re very tough. That’s what happened today.”
The Mariners (18-0) will play fifth-seeded York at 2 p.m. Friday at Cross Insurance Arena, weather permitting, with a snowstorm in the forecast.
Mackie, a junior guard, finished with 19 points, along with two assists and a steal. Breen, a 6-foot-3 freshman center, had 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Spruce Mountain (14-6) tried to slow the pace down and limit the number of possessions for the Mariners, who like to push the tempo. But after scoring the game’s first five points, the Phoenix went cold and scored only five more points the rest of the first half.
“When you’re missing your shots, a lot of other mistakes come to the forefront,” said Keene. “You can get frustrated quickly.”
The Mariners slowly took control, pushing the pace when they wanted to, working the ball around at other times. They opened the second quarter with 10 straight points and led 21-7 at the half, with Breen and Morris providing the spark.
Breen’s offensive rebound basket made it 14-7, then Morris scored three consecutive fast-break layups, the final one on a steal and pass from Mackie.
“That’s kind of what we’ve had all year,” said Oceanside Coach Matt Breen. “Audrey and Bailey have been the leading scorers, but we’ve had different people step up and make plays in every game. It’s not always scoring points, sometimes it’s making steals or just keeping us composed on the court. But it’s always a different person stepping up and making plays.”
Matt Breen said his team’s ability to handle Spruce Mountain’s defensive pressure was a key. “We did a nice job after the first (quarter),” he said.
And the Mariners kept to their game plan.
“We’ve really learned to play with each other,” said Bailey Breen. “We don’t care who scores, just what’s going to get us to this place.”
Oceanside extended the lead to 32-15 on Sykes’ third 3-pointer of the game, before back-to-back NBA-range 3-pointers by Spruce Mountain’s Olivia Mastine cut the margin to 14. Mastine finished with 20 points, hitting six 3-pointers.
Oceanside, though, quickly regained control.
Mackie said the Mariners have been working toward this regional final since the fifth and sixth grade, when they all started playing together.
“It’s really just a great feeling for us right now,” she said.
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