Auburn girls hoops handles the Sentinels

Avery Hansen's 17 and resurgence of Ari Deloney help push Trojans past Spanaway Lake.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Auburn High School girls basketball team survived a tough challenge from Spanaway Lake, winning 49-38 in the first round of the West Central District tournament. Despite struggling offensively at times, the Trojans were able to rely on strong defense and key contributions from Avery Hansen and Ari Deloney to advance to the second round.

Why it matters

This win keeps Auburn's season alive as they look to make a deep playoff run. The Trojans have now won 9 straight games since their only loss earlier this season, showing they have bounced back and are playing their best basketball at the right time.

The details

Auburn took an early 10-point lead in the first quarter, but Spanaway Lake fought back to make it a close game throughout. The Trojans struggled to find their offensive rhythm, but were able to get to the free throw line and make key plays down the stretch to hold off the Sentinels' comeback attempt. Avery Hansen led Auburn with 17 points, while Ari Deloney provided a spark off the bench with a late scoring surge to help seal the victory.

  • The game was played on February 12, 2026.
  • Auburn will take on No. 6 seed Skyview on February 14, 2026 with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

The players

Jessica Hansen

The head coach of the Auburn High School girls basketball team.

Avery Hansen

A key player for the Auburn Trojans, finishing with a team-high 17 points in the win.

Ari Deloney

An Auburn player who provided a spark off the bench, scoring 6 straight points to help the Trojans pull away late.

Kamryn Huttenlocker

An Auburn player who hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter to help the Trojans build an early lead.

Spanaway Lake Sentinels

The No. 13 seed that gave Auburn a tough challenge, but ultimately fell short in the first round matchup.

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What they’re saying

“The good news is with everything you can look at what you need to get better at. We knew a key to the game was rebounds and boxing out. We got killed on rebounds. Rebounding is a 'want to.' There is a little technique involved, but mostly it's see ball, get ball. Our girls saw ball and watched ball, their team hustled. Give a lot of credit to them.”

— Jessica Hansen, Head Coach (auburn-reporter.com)

“I felt like I had to take over and help the team. Last year I was a main leader. Coming off the injury, I felt like I had to get my old self back.”

— Ari Deloney (auburn-reporter.com)

“I told her 'remember who you are.' She's taken a while to trust herself and trust her knee. It's fun to see her making some big plays. I didn't think we'd get her back this year. To have her right now is huge.”

— Jessica Hansen, Head Coach (auburn-reporter.com)

What’s next

Auburn will take on No. 6 seed Skyview on February 14, 2026 with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

The takeaway

This win shows the resilience of the Auburn girls basketball team, as they were able to grind out a tough victory over a scrappy Spanaway Lake squad. The Trojans' ability to rely on their defense and get key contributions from their leaders like Avery Hansen and Ari Deloney will be crucial as they continue their playoff push.