The road to the state tournament just got a little harder for the Auburn Mountainview Lions girls basketball team who lost to Decatur 36-26 at home on Feb. 15.

Yes, that was the final score. Neither team reached 40 points in the contest. It was defensive slugfest and for the Auburn Mountainview girls, and now the Lions have to win two games to reach the 3A state tournament.

“Every game is a learning opportunity. We just didn’t perform well tonight. It’s about playing well at the right time, no we are looking at next week moving forward and hope to get another one,” Head Coach Alyse Lacey said.

In the regular season, the two sides split the season series. Decatur won the first pairing back on Dec. 19, 56-49. While the Lions won the most recent matchup on Jan. 31, 44-34.

Auburn Mountainview came into the district tournament as the sixth seed after a 14-6 regular season going 10-2 in the North Puget Sound League (NPSL).

The Lions held an 8-5 lead as the first quarter came to a close. But what came in the second quarter was not in the Lions favor.

Over the course of the entire 8 minutes, just one Kyra Thomas basket was all the Lions could muster. On the Decatur side, Jayda Thomas scored 13 points on her own in the second.

The Decatur defense was just too much for the Lions, which trailed 22-10 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Lions flipped a switch. They had their best offensive quarter as a team and built some momentum heading to the fourth quarter. Four different Lions scored points in the third and the lead was cut to 29-21 heading to the final frame.

“We just told the kids we are still in this. Do what you can do to fight back,” Lacey said.

Throughout the fourth quarter, just 12 total points were scored between both teams. Auburn Mountainview got a three pointer from Emery Gould and a lay-in from Thomas. While Decatur had six points from Jayda Thomas and a free throw for Lelava Milo.

Twenty-six points is the fewest points scored by an Auburn Mountainview team since Jan. 13 last season in a 73-13 loss to Auburn. In the playoffs, 26 is the fewest points scored since a Feb. 13, 2016 against Lincoln in the district tournament where the Lions fell 54-19.

“I just don’t think we performed well tonight,” Lacey said.

Auburn Mountainview is now locked in a win-or-go home game against Gig Harbor at home once again.

“We got to keep pushing forward. These times are difficult for kids at this age. But they really learn to fight back and keep moving the anchor. It’s a great lesson for kids and that is why we love sports,” Lacey said.

Kaylahna Cruz swarmed by the Decatur defense. Ben Ray / The Reporter