Adversity can take strange forms.
For some teams, a dearth of talent or the lack of a winning tradition can be the difference between a successful and a disappointing season.
With a rich tradition of winning, including two consecutive state 3A titles, the Auburn Riverside girls basketball team’s measuring stick for success is different.
Couple a roster stocked with superstar caliber players with all the hardware in the trophy case at the school, and anything less than excellence can be viewed as a disappointment.
For much of the season, that has been the cross that the Ravens have had to bear.
The team finished the regular season with a 13-3 South Puget Sound League 4A Division record, tied for second place with Federal Way.
Although the Ravens swept through the bulk of their league competition, the team seemed unable to put together consistent games against the serious competitors, including the No. 1 ranked Kentwood Conquerors – whom Auburn Riverside lost twice to in the regular season – and Federal Way, with whom the Ravens split their two regular season meetings.
Add in that the team started the season with a new coach, Ed Rosin, and Auburn Riverside looked for much of the season like a team trying to find an identity.
The situation seemed to come to a head on Feb. 10, when Federal Way overcame a 15-point deficit to beat the Ravens in a seeding tiebreaker.
“It’s hard to say, my gut tells me that it could have been the turning point,” Rosin said. “But what happened with the game and through the game, that was not the turning point. The turning point ensued afterward where we were able to start focusing on us and make this about our team.”
“It was a wake-up call,” junior guard Mercedes Wetmore said. “We looked and realized that this is what could happen to us in the state tourney, we’re up 15 and all of sudden we’re going home or not getting to the place we want to get. That really lit a fire under our butts, and we decided it was go time, that it was now or never.”
If the loss to Federal Way was a message, it was received loud and clear by the Ravens, who since then have strung together six postseason victories, including a 52-50 win over Kentwood for the West Central District III title.
“It was actually a good loss for us because it made us realize that we’re not that good, and we’ve got some work to do to get to the state tournament again,” she said.
According to Rosin, the changes were dramatic.
“There were a couple of possessions there (during the Graham-Kapowsin game) were there was 11 passes, and every kid touched the ball,” he said. “Then we’d make a nice shot with four-five seconds left on the shot clock. And that’s what makes the team special, being able to share the ball and play together as a team.”
“The last four or five games we’ve picked it up and started figuring out who we are and what we could do,” senior Nicole Jackson said. “We just had to get used to Coach Rosin’s style and how he coached.”
“We’re a lot better team now,” Wetmore agreed.
Now the Ravens are back in the state tourney and look to be back on track.
On Wednesday, Auburn Riverside opened the tourney with a dominating 48-30 win over Eastlake at the Tacoma Dome.
Wetmore paced the team with 16 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Sophomore Kat Cooper added 12 points and six rebounds, with Brooklynn Hinkens chipping in with eight points and three steals. Jackson had five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
As a team, the Ravens feasted on Eastlake turnovers, scoring 23 points and amassing 19 steals.
“We’ve found our identity,” Rosin said after the game.
“Our identity is totally different,” Wetmore said. “It’s totally different players now, totally different girls. And all these girls bring something different than the players from last year. It’s just a different type of championship team that we’re trying to build.”
The Ravens played Moses Lake on Thursday, with results unavailable at press time.
The team will continue its push for a 4A title today at the Tacoma Dome. The finals are Saturday.
If the loss to Federal Way was a message, it was received loud and clear by the Ravens, who since then have strung together six postseason victories, including a 52-50 win over Kentwood for the West Central District III title.
“It was actually a good loss for us because it made us realize that we’re not that good, and we’ve got some work to do to get to the state tournament again,” she said.
According to Rosin, the changes were dramatic.
“There were a couple of possessions there (during the Graham-Kapowsin game) were there was 11 passes, and every kid touched the ball,” he said. “Then we’d make a nice shot with four-five seconds left on the shot clock. And that’s what makes the team special, being able to share the ball and play together as a team.”
“The last four or five games we’ve picked it up and started figuring out who we are and what we could do,” senior Nicole Jackson said. “We just had to get used to Coach Rosin’s style and how he coached.”
“We’re a lot better team now,” Wetmore agreed.
Now the Ravens are back in the state tourney and look to be back on track.
On Wednesday, Auburn Riverside opened the tourney with a dominating 48-30 win over Eastlake at the Tacoma Dome.
Wetmore paced the team with 16 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Sophomore Kat Cooper added 12 points and six rebounds, with Brooklynn Hinkens chipping in with eight points and three steals. Jackson had five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
As a team, the Ravens feasted on Eastlake turnovers, scoring 23 points and amassing 19 steals.
“We’ve found our identity,” Rosin said after the game.
“Our identity is totally different,” Wetmore said. “It’s totally different players now, totally different girls. And all these girls bring something different than the players from last year. It’s just a different type of championship team that we’re trying to build.”
The Ravens played Moses Lake on Thursday, with results unavailable at press time.
The team will continue its push for a 4A title today at the Tacoma Dome. The finals are Saturday.
