In Sammamish Basketball, Eastlake High School Girls Scrape Past Issaquah, 64-61, to Keep Season Alive

 Lady Wolves slipped past Issaquah, 64-61, on Thursday night to claim the third-place spot in the KingCo 4A girls' basketball tournament and keep their season alive.

Trailing by a count of 57-54 with just over a minute and a half remaining in the game, the Lady Wolves used their patented full-court trapping defense to intercept Issaquah passes on three consecutive possessions and take over the lead at 61-57 with 40 seconds remaining.

The final three points during that stretch came from junior Lauren Files, who gathered a rebound under the basket and converted a bucket while getting fouled.

Issaquah would pull within a single point when Sabrina Norton scored with eight seconds left, but Sam Naluai would convert two free throws to seal the victory for Eastlake.

"I just wanted to do it for my team," said Naluai of her four game-clinching free throws in the final 19 seconds.

"It feels amazing, my heart is just pounding, I'm so proud of my teammates."

The Eagles jumped out to a 7-2 lead before coach Sara Goldie's team was able to gather itself with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter and use an 8-0 run to go ahead 10-7 on a three-pointer from Abby Carlson.

The Lady Wolves would lead 15-10 after the first, 31-22 at the half and 46-41 after three quarters but were challenged throughout by the Eagles, especially in the final frame.

Issaquah began the final eight minutes by scoring nine of the first 11 points to go ahead 50-48 with 5:15 to play, which was their first lead since the opening period.

They would again take an advantage at 55-54 with 2:22 remaining in the game.

After Files put in the free throw to give her team a four point lead, she was injured getting into position in the Lady Wolves trapping zone-defense.

As she went down, an Issaquah player broke to the basket and put in a layup to cut the lead to 61-59.

As she was being carried off the floor, Files could be seen telling Goldie and her teammates "I'M SORRY!" through tears, worried not for her injured ankle but instead over the possibility that it may have cost her team at a crucial moment in the game.

What the sinewy junior forward lacks in flash, she more than makes up for in grit and heart; she is the personification of the Lady Wolves' FAMILY moniker.

Coming off the bench, Files continuously does hard work for the Lady Wolves; scrapping for loose balls, battling larger opposing players in the paint and pulling down crucial rebounds in traffic like the one that helped seal an Eastlake win on Thursday.

Goldie said after the game that Files would be alright and the junior herself spoke about her critical put-back bucket in the waning moments of the win.

"I just wanted to work hard and do it for my team," Files said.

"I just try to work hard and hustle as best I can."

Both Goldie and Files used the word "fearless" in describing her style of play. Goldie added: "It doesn't matter who we're playing against or who is guarding her, she is going to do the same things."

Files finished with 12 points for the Lady Wolves, as did Abby Carlson.

Caleigh McCabe added 11 more.

With the win, the Lady Wolves move into the District 1/2 cross-over game next Tuesday, where they will face either Edmonds-Woodway or Marysville-Pilchuck.

That game will be at Eastlake High School with a scheduled tip time of 7pm.

The winner will claim a berth in the 2011 4A Hardwood Classic, with opponent and time to be determined.

Sabrina Norton led the Eagles with 19 points and was followed closely by the 18 of Maddey Pflaumer.