Panthers Take First Loss of the Season in Gritty 53–44 Battle Against Unbeaten Spanaway Lake

Azy Jackson

Two undefeated division teams met Tuesday night with identical stakes: Bonney Lake entered 3–0 in league, while Spanaway Lake carried a perfect 3–0 league record and 4–0 overall. Both had rolled past Yelm earlier in the season, but this matchup was the first true litmus test for the Panthers, a chance to see how their youthful core stacked up against one of the SPSL’s toughest, most disciplined programs.

It was a battle from start to finish.

A Defensive, Fast-Paced First Quarter

From tipoff, Spanaway Lake’s defensive pressure was suffocating. The Sentinels swarmed passing lanes, contested every look, and made the Panthers’ usually smooth offense work for every touch. Bonney Lake answered with toughness of their own, but early buckets were hard to come by.

Junior Azy Jackson, one of the Panthers’ veteran anchors, kept Bonney Lake afloat with six of the team’s eight first-quarter points. Fellow junior starter Izzy Meki created opportunities off the dribble, but the Sentinels executed inside the paint and controlled the early tempo.

Bonney Lake trailed 16–8 after one, their largest first-quarter deficit of the season.

Izzy Meki

Second Quarter Fightback: Freshmen Settle In

The Panthers began to settle in during the second. Bonney Lake’s spacing improved, ball movement sharpened, and the starting unit, including freshmen Selena Meki and Nakiah Barrett, began finding their rhythm against Spanaway’s pressure.

Nakiah delivered one of the biggest moments of the half, burying a clutch three to tie the game at 20–20, swinging momentum firmly toward the Panthers.

Senior Bella Fulton added strong defensive minutes, helping slow the Sentinels’ drives and allowing Bonney Lake to chip away at the lead. But fouls proved costly. Spanaway Lake earned valuable trips to the line, capitalizing nearly every time.

At halftime, Bonney Lake trailed 26–22, still well within striking distance.

Sentinels Control the Paint and the Tempo

Spanaway Lake opened the third quarter by going right back to their bread and butter: the paint. The Sentinels made only four threes all game, but they didn’t need perimeter shooting. Their interior scoring was clinical, and their ball movement forced Bonney Lake into difficult defensive rotations.

When they didn’t score immediately, their clock management was textbook, extending possessions, probing the defense, and forcing the Panthers to defend for full sequences.

Bonney Lake generated good looks throughout the quarter, but missed opportunities turned into transition buckets for the Sentinels. Midway through the third, Spanaway Lake pushed the lead to 36–25. The quarter ended with Bonney Lake trailing 44–33, still fighting but needing a last-quarter surge.

Nakiah Barrett

Fourth-Quarter Push Falls Just Short

The surge came.

Azy continued her dominant night, finishing with a game-high 17 points. Izzy followed closely with 15, hitting big shots to keep the Panthers in striking distance. Starter Selena Meki, normally a key part of the offense, contributed tough defensive minutes as Bonney Lake tightened the game.

Freshman Liz Mapu-Togiola Tavai came off the bench and delivered energy plays, rebounding, contesting shots, and helping push a 6–0 run that cut into the deficit.

But Spanaway Lake’s interior efficiency and late-game discipline sealed the outcome. The Sentinels protected the ball, controlled the tempo, and closed out the final possessions.

Final: Spanaway Lake 53, Bonney Lake 44.

Final Scoring

• Azy Jackson – 17

• Izzy Meki  – 15

• Nakiah Barrett – 4

• Bella Fulton – 4

• Selena Meki – 2

• Liz Mapu-Togiola Tavai – 2

What’s Next

The Panthers now turn their focus to a major upcoming test:

First-place Wesco 4A powerhouse Lake Stevens comes to town on Saturday, December 13th.

Tipoff is at home, and the atmosphere should be electric as Bonney Lake looks to rebound against one of the top teams in the state.