Richardson’s Triple-Double Leads Seahawks To Fish Basket Win Over Gig Harbor

Peninsula girls basketball overcomes a sloppy start to sink the Gig Harbor Tides in the fourth quarter.

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The Gig Harbor Tides girls basketball team found a way to slow down Grace Richardson’s scoring, but they couldn’t stop her from taking over the first and only hometown match-up Fish Basket game of the regular season in every other way. 

Richardson, the Peninsula Seahawks senior leader, was held to just 11 points, eight below her season average, but her all-around performance powered the Seahawks to a 47-36 victory in the annual rivalry game. She finished with a triple-double, pulling down 17 rebounds and dishing out 14 assists to go with her 11 points. Richardson also had four blocked shots and four steals. 

Seahawks senior Maci Miller had a team-high 17 points, including eight in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for Peninsula (8-6, 7-3 Puget Sound League). Sophomore Ashlyn Pierce scored 12 points, and freshman Anika Jones added 10 for the Tides (8-5, 6-4 PSL) in a strong showing for one of the league’s youngest teams. 

After an exciting third quarter that saw the two teams exchange baskets, with Pierce scoring 10 straight points for the Tides, the score was tied at 33 entering the fourth. 

The Seahawks made their move, holding the Tides scoreless for the next 4:31, while Richardson kept feeding Miller to lead Peninsula on an 8-0 run. Jones made a layup at the 3:29 mark, and junior Beverly Dover added a free throw a minute later to account for Gig Harbor’s only points of the quarter. 

The game could have been much closer — or even swung in Gig Harbor’s favor — had the Tides converted a fraction of their second-chance opportunities. Gig Harbor had a slight height advantage and outrebounded Peninsula on the offensive glass. 

A slow and sloppy first half, during which both teams combined for 20 turnovers, ended with Gig Harbor holding a narrow 20-18 lead. The Seahawks gradually found their rhythm, despite finishing the game shooting just 17-of-56 (30%) from the field. 

Before Fish Basket, the Seahawks celebrated Richardson’s 1,000th career point, which she reached Dec. 27 in a loss to Bishop Blanchet. Richardson, who is committed to the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, next year, is also making a strong case for league MVP honors. While she doesn’t lead any single statistical category in the league, she ranks near the top in all major areas. 

The Seahawks have a grueling schedule to finish the regular season, playing six games in two weeks before league and district tournaments start in February. 


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