Cayla Jones (Yakama) scores 22 points to beat Wolves for 4th Straight win
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Cayla Jones scored 22 points and Diedra Miller recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds as The Evergreen State College defeated Walla Walla, 79-74, in a Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball game played Sunday afternoon inside Costantino Recreation Center.
The Geoducks (9-6 overall, 7-4 CCC) won their fourth straight game and hold sole possession of fourth place in the conference standings. Carolina Montes scored 21 points and Alyssa Blankenship added 18 for the Wolves (2-13, 0-10). Montes also contributed
Evergreen led for nearly the entire first period until consecutive baskets by Alyssa Blankenship put the visiting Wolves on top, 20-18, at quarter break.
Another basket by Blankenship, five points from Carolina Montes and a three-pointer from Kai Chamberlain gave the Wolves an eight-point advantage, 30-22, three minutes into the second quarter.
With several Evergreen starters in foul trouble, Kaelin Williams-Kennedy came to the fore by scoring 11 of her 15 points over the final seven minutes of the period. Walla Walla cooled off at the same time and Evergreen took a 43-32 lead at the half.
The hosts led throughout the second half, though Walla Walla made one last run when Montes and Michaela Garcia found the range from beyond the three-point line.
Jahpera McEachin scored 11 points to five the Geoducks four players in double figures, and Alexis Higgenbotham hauled down 11 rebounds for the winners. Evergreen shot 40 percent (28-for-70) from the field and 69 percent from the foul line (18-for-26).
Garcia hit four three-pointers in scoring 14 points to join Montes and Blankenship in double figures for the Wolves, who shot 41 percent (27-for-66) from the field.
Evergreen heads to Oregon next weekend for conference games against Southern Oregon on Saturday and Oregon Tech on Sunday.