Seattle Prep girls basketball finishes shortened season unbeaten
SEATTLE (BVM) — The No. 1-ranked Seattle Prep Panthers didn’t have a chance to go after their first girls basketball state title since 2002. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020-21 season to be postponed until the spring and the next WIAA basketball state tournament won’t be held until 2022.
But the Panthers still made the best of their situation, and the spring of 2021 will undoubtedly be remembered as a success with what they were able to accomplish. On June 11, Seattle Prep captured its first Metro League title in 20 years by beating Bishop Blanchet 54-48 in the tournament title game to finish the abbreviated season with an unbeaten record of 13-0.
The Panthers were led on their run to perfection by a pair of seniors: Tamia Stricklin and Molly Moffitt. Stricklin, a 6-foot Fresno State recruit, averaged nearly a double-double with 19.5 points and 9.9 rebounds and she scored a game-high 29 points in the Metro championship-clinching victory over Blanchet. Meanwhile, Moffitt missed the Seattle Prep’s three Metro tourney games to join Ireland’s U-20 national team, but she averaged 16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds in her 10 games played for the Panthers.
Junior Abby Stuart stepped up in Moffitt’s absence, scoring 15 points in the title game victory. Stuart finished the season third on the team in the scoring at 12.8 points per game and she’ll likely be leaned on more heavily next season as the team’s top returner for what should be a much more normal season for Seattle Prep and all Washington high school basketball teams.
