WILMINGTON — Washington pushed East Clinton to the brink Saturday night before falling 50-40 in girls basketball action here at Fred Summers Court.

The game was played at Wilmington High School because the gym at East Clinton is unavailable because of water damage to the floor.

It was the first game for the Astros since the death of ECHS senior Timmi Mahanes Thursday morning.

“The last two days … losing a classmate has been tough, especially to the seniors,” East Clinton head coach Bill Bean said. “Timmi wasn’t a basketball player but she was involved in everything.”

East Clinton is 14-2. Washington drops to 2-15.

Despite the difference in records, the Blue Lions were never out of this one.

“We’re everybody’s Super Bowl,” Bean said. “They know we had a great year last year. They know the run we had last year. You don’t think that would make their year … we beat East Clinton?”

In her first game back from injury, Kami Whiteaker led East Clinton with 14 points. Natalie Woods led Washington with 14 points.

In a back and forth opening frame, Washington held a 9-8 lead, rallying from an early 6-2 deficit. East Clinton had seven turnovers in the first period. But Jordan Collom had three steals and two assists.

In the second, Collom hit a three, assist to Libby Evanshine, and it was 15-11 East Clinton. Washington got a coast to coast steal and layup from Racine but the Astros countered with a three by Megan Tong, 18-13.

Then Jayden Murphy closed out the half with a buzzer-beating three to put EC up 21-15. Despite the lead, it was an overall lackluster half of play by the Astros.

In the third, Maggi Wall had a steal and basket to get Washington within 23-19. From there, East Clinton steadily pulled out to its largest lead of the night, 34-21. Collom assisted on three straight baskets — a pair of threes by Whiteaker and a basket by Murphy.

The Blue Lions pulled within nine on a couple instances the rest of the way but the Astros were a comfortable 9 of 16 at the free throw line in the fourth to stay in front.

Washington will be back in action Wednesday at home against Hillsboro with the j-v game at 5:30 p.m. It will be senior recognition night at Washington High School.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

EC 8 13 14 15 50

W 9 6 11 14 40

EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Collom 1-1-2-5 Evanshine 3-0-2-8 Whiteaker 5-3-1-14 Jones 2-0-2-6 Murphy 4-3-2-13 Tong 1-1-1-4 Stonewall 0-0-0-0 TOTALS 16-8-10-50

WASHINGTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Allie Mongold 1-1-0-3 Calleigh Wead-Salmi 3-0-0-6 Megan Sever 1-0-0-2 Natalie Woods 6-0-2-14 Maggi Wall 2-1-0-5 Eliana Racine 1-0-0-2 Calee Ellars 4-0-0-8 TOTALS 18-2-2-40

FIELD GOALS: EC (16-31) Whiteaker 5-8, Murphy 4-10; WASH (18-49) Woods 6-16 Ellars 4-6

3 PT FIELD GOALS: EC (8-16) Whiteaker 3-4 Murphy 3-7; WASH (2-12)

FREE THROWS: EC (10-18) Collom 2-2 Jones 2-2; WASH (2-7)

REBOUNDS: EC-30 (Evanshine 6, Jones 6, Murphy 6 Whiteaker 4, Collom 3, Tong 2, Stonewall 1); WASH-24 (Ellars 5, Wead-Salmi 5, Sever 4, A. Mongold 2, Woods 2, Wall 2, Racine 2)

ASSISTS: EC-14 (Collom 6, Evanshine 2, Jones 2, Murphy 2, Whiteaker 1, Stonewall 1); WASH-3 (Ellars 1, Woods 1, A. Mongold 1)

STEALS: EC-10 (Collom 3, Evanshine 3, Whiteaker 2, Jones 1, Murphy 1); WASH-13 (Woods 5, Wall 3, Racine 2, Ellas 1, Sever 1)

BLOCKS: EC-2 (Evanshine 1, Jones 1); WASH-1 (Ellars 1)

TURNOVERS: EC-20; WASH-16

Lady Lions win j-v game

Washington held off East Clinton 28-26 Saturday in junior varsity girls basketball here at Fred Summers Court.

East Clinton made just 13 of 32 free throws in the loss, including 5 of 16 in the fourth quarter. The Astros were 0 for 8 at the line in the opening quarter.

Megan Hadley led East Clinton with 14 points. Chloe Scott had 10 points.

Megan Mongold had 12 points to lead the Blue Lions. She made a trio of three-point baskets, two of those in the fourth quarter.