The Albert Lea ninth-grade girls’ basketball team finished second in the 2004 MYAS 9th-grade State Tournament.

In the opening round of pool play, the locals met Mounds View in

only the second game all year this group of girls played together. It didn’t seem to affect them at all as the Tigers took a 20-13 halftime lead and never looked back. With 10 of 14 Albert Lea players scoring, the Tigers defeated Mounds View 42-31.

The next day, against Woodbury, the Tigers trailed b y two at the end of the first quarter but controlled the second to take an 18-14 lead at half time. Woodbury battled back to tie it 31-31 at the end of regulation, but the Tigers stayed calm and in their rhythm and handed Woodbury a 36-1 overtime defeat.

Later in the evening, the girls were matched against the Zephyrs of Mahtomedi, who earlier defeated Lakeville. The Tigers again came out of the huddle determined to take charge, assumed an early lead and kept it, knocking off the Zephyrs 32-25.

At this point Tiger followers were asking, &uot;Would 2004 be a repeat of 2003? Would the girls once again be. “Going to the ‘ship?&uot;

Stillwater, the opponent for the championship game, had easily cleaned house on its way to the finals. Compared to the earlier games, this game was very tightly officiated, with both teams in the double bonus early in the second quarter. Stillwater was red-hot from the line, converting 16 of 18 free throws in the first half alone, to lead the Tigers by 10 at the half. The Tigers had some good looks to the basket, however they were not able to convert all their shots and lost 54-37. The Tigers were 17-for-32 from the line, while Stillwater converted 27 of 34 free throws.