Tacoma, WA - The Everett CC women's basketball team opened up the 2024-2025 season under first year head coach Jay Franco over the weekend and came away with a win over Highline College. After a narrow loss to host Tacoma CC on Friday afternoon at the Tacoma Tip Off Classic, the Trojans bounced back on Saturday defeating Highline 53-51, and giving Coach Franco his first career win as head coach at EvCC. Franco had spent the previous three seasons as an assistant for Jeannie Thompson who stepped down at the completion of the 2023-2024 season.
Its a new look for EvCC returning just two sophomores from last year's squad, Eden Moore and Jada Andresen, but the young team showed the ability to re-focus on the heels of the 70-66 loss the night before, and opened up a 16-9 first quarter lead over Highline. Andresen and newcomer Alaina Spoonhunter each had 7 first quarter points while the defense held Highline to just 3-14 shooting. The Trojans maintained the seven point lead going into halftime with hot shooting from Andresen and continuing to hold the Thunderbirds to a low field goal percentage.
Highline closed the defecit in the third quarter when the Trojan shooting went cold, just 1-8 from beyond the arc and 3-13 from the field. Five big points from freshman Zahara Ritchie-Canady kept the Trojans out in front but Highline continued to out-rebound EvCC and forced 5 third quarter turnovers.
The Thunderbirds opened up the fourth quarter with 11 unanswered points and took a 46-39 lead. EvCC didn't get their first bucket of the 4th quarter until 4:13 remained when Alaina Spoonhunter hit a baseline jumper that was nearly a three, but her toe was on the line. With just over two minutes to play, Andresen hit a big three to bring EvCC back to within three. On the next posession Spoonhunter came away with a steal and then again found an open spot on the baseline against the Highline zone defense. This time she was all the way behind the line and made her second three of the game to tie it up at 47 with 1:30 left.
Highline answered with a bucket, but on the next possession freshman Ruby Wacker found herself in the right spot on an offensive rebound and drew the game even again at 49 with one minute remaining. After a defensive stop EvCC found Jada Andresen on the wing who knocked down her 5th three of the game, and put the Trojans up 52-49 with 30 seconds remaining. Highline converted on a lay in to draw within one, but Spoonhunter made one of two free throws after she was fouled to get EvCC back up 53-51. With five seconds remaining, Highline had one last chance to tie or take the lead but they failed to get a shot off and Everett held on for their first win of the season.
Jada Andresen led all scorers with 22 points and Alaina Spoonhunter added 16. She scored 27 the night before against Tacoma, making it a solid weekend for the true freshman. Ritchie-Canady added 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists while Wacker added 5 points and 5 rebounds off the bench.
Everett will have a week to prepare as they hit the road again, this time traveling further south to Vancouver, WA playing Clark College on Friday November 22nd, and then down to Salem, OR where they will face Chemeketa CC on Saturday, November 23rd.