Lake Stevens girls fall to Davis in state quarters

The Vikings couldn't keep up with the defending champs late in a 76-56 loss on Thursday.

Mar. 6, 2026 at 12:04am

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The Lake Stevens girls basketball team faced off against the defending Class 4A champions, the Davis Pirates of Yakima, in the state quarterfinals on Thursday. The Vikings kept the game close in the first half, with junior Noelani Tupua hitting a half-court shot at the buzzer to cut the halftime deficit to 3 points. However, the Pirates' fast-paced style and sharp shooting proved too much for Lake Stevens in the second half, as Davis pulled away for a 20-point victory. Noelani Tupua led the Vikings with 21 points, while her sister Keira Isabella Tupua added 19 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. The loss dropped Lake Stevens into the consolation bracket, where they will face Gonzaga Prep on Friday in a bid for a possible fourth-place finish.

Why it matters

The matchup between the No. 10 Lake Stevens Vikings and the defending champion No. 1 Davis Pirates was a highly anticipated clash in the 4A state quarterfinals. Lake Stevens had proven they could compete with the state's elite, but ultimately the Pirates' relentless pace and shooting prowess were too much for the Vikings to overcome. The game highlighted the challenges of facing a team as talented and experienced as Davis, as well as the Vikings' resilience in battling back from an early deficit.

The details

Lake Stevens kept the game close in the first half, with Noelani Tupua's half-court buzzer-beater cutting the halftime deficit to 3 points. However, Davis' full-court press and transition game proved too much for the Vikings in the second half. The Pirates outrebounded Lake Stevens 46-33, including 20 offensive rebounds, and forced 20 turnovers. Davis junior Isa Garcia scored 24 points, while teammate Cheyenne Hull recorded a near 20-20 game with 22 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals. Lake Stevens shot 46.9% in the first half but just 34.8% in the second as the Vikings' offense stalled.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 5, 2026 in Tacoma, Washington.

The players

Noelani Tupua

A junior on the Lake Stevens girls basketball team who led the Vikings with 21 points on 10-for-15 shooting.

Keira Isabella Tupua

The sister of Noelani Tupua, Keira finished with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for Lake Stevens.

Tessa Anastasi

A senior on the Lake Stevens team who scored 6 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.

Kendel Kuehl

A senior for Lake Stevens who made an and-1 layup in the game.

Isa Garcia

A junior on the Davis team who scored a game-high 24 points.

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What they’re saying

“I thought I was gonna airball it”

— Noelani Tupua, Lake Stevens junior

“I think she understood”

— Noelani Tupua, Lake Stevens junior

“We just got tired, made us not think straight … it was hard to get it back going”

— Noelani Tupua, Lake Stevens junior

“We love (Keira) because she just wants to do what it takes to win and believes we can beat anybody in the state. And we really can, we showed it in the first half”

— Seth Dodge, Lake Stevens head coach

“We didn't find shooters. We knew they had shooters and they started hitting shots in the third quarter, and they just hit more shots than we could.”

— Seth Dodge, Lake Stevens head coach

What’s next

The loss put Lake Stevens in the consolation bracket, starting with a Friday date with No. 5 Gonzaga Prep on the road to a possible fourth-place finish.

The takeaway

Despite the defeat, Lake Stevens showed it could compete with the defending champions in the first half, with Noelani Tupua's half-court buzzer-beater highlighting the Vikings' resilience. However, Davis' relentless pace and sharp shooting ultimately proved too much for Lake Stevens to overcome, leading to a 20-point loss. The Vikings will now look to regroup in the consolation bracket as they aim for a possible fourth-place finish.