Edwards scores game-high 22 points, Lincoln routs Todd Beamer in district opening round

More than two weeks passed between Lincoln High School’s final Class 3A Pierce County League contest — which completed the Abes’ undefeated league title run — and Friday night’s game against Todd Beamer in the first round of the 3A West Central/Southwest district tournament.

How did the Abes respond playing their first game in 15 days?

With a convincing victory over the visiting Titans in Tacoma.

Lincoln opened the game on a 13-3 run, and never trailed, taking the first and only lead on freshman forward Oliviyah Edwards’ layup on the opening possession, eventually rolling to a 58-25 rout.

The Abes’ consistent pressure on defense led to 20 combined steals, keeping the Titans off-balance throughout the contest, and often resulted in transition baskets.

The Abes scored on 11 of their first 18 possessions, often after causing turnovers, to build a 24-5 lead by the end of the first quarter, and continued to add on from there.

“It’s kind of who we are,” Lincoln coach Jamila Jones said. “We want to play scrappy, under control and just kind of take people out of their comfort zone. That’s always our goal.

“Take people out of their comfort zone on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively. And our defense leads to our offense.”

Edwards paced Lincoln with a game-high 22 points — including nine in the first quarter — and completed a double-double with 11 rebounds, while adding three assists and a pair of steals.

Forward Deandra Woods-Singleton added another 10 points and seven rebounds for the Abes, while guard Jaleigha Robinson added eight points, two assists and six steals, and guard Malani Warren had six points, three assists and five steals.

Eleven of the 12 players who appeared in the game for Lincoln recorded at least one rebound for an Abes team that combined for 40-plus.

Dreanna Jackson led the Titans with 15 points, five rebounds and three steals, while Aaliyah Chappell had eight points and six rebounds.

The Titans (11-7) host Spanaway Lake in a loser-out game on Tuesday.

The Abes (15-2) move on to play league rival Bonney Lake — a program they beat by double digits twice during the regular season — in the district semifinals Wednesday at Auburn High School.

The Panthers beat 3A NPSL champion Auburn Mountainview, 67-63, on Friday night to advance.

Friday night’s win already ensures at least a state regionals appearance for each of the four semifinalists, including Lincoln and Bonney Lake, as well as 3A SSC champion Peninsula and North Thurston, which also won first-round games Friday.

Lincoln will look to continue its run of victories against 3A teams — the Abes’ only losses this season are single-digit defeats against 4A contenders Bellarmine Prep and Emerald Ridge — as the postseason continues next week.

“When we play together, and play for each other, we’re really, really tough to beat,” Jones said. “Really tough to beat. And I’ll take that version of my team versus whoever. We’ve just got to do it consistently. Play together and play for each other consistently.”

With the eventual goal to win in the Tacoma Dome in March.

“We just have to have the right mindset going into it and do everything according to the plan,” Edwards said. “We’ve got to trust each other, we’ve got to have faith in each other, and we’ve just got to go.”