Coupeville Sports

Makana Stone went for a game-high 21 points and 17 rebounds Tuesday as Whitman won a big-time showdown. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

One big hurdle down, several more to go.

Powered by a ferocious performance from Coupeville grad Makana Stone, the Whitman College women’s basketball squad won a thriller in Spokane Tuesday, knocking off Whitworth University 91-86.

The pressure-packed victory lifts the Blues to 4-0 in Northwest Conference play, 10-3 overall and leaves them in a first-place tie with defending league champ George Fox.

After absorbing the loss, Whitworth (3-1, 8-5) slips into second-place in the conference standings.

Stone, who went off for a game-high 21 points and 17 rebounds Tuesday, will lead Whitman into a dangerous doubleheader this coming weekend.

The Blues play Friday at Linfield (2-2, 6-7), before facing off Saturday with George Fox (4-0, 11-3).

Tuesday’s rumble was a slug-fest between two talented squads, and went down to the wire.

Stone iced the game with her final points of the night, when she snared an offensive rebound and powered back up for a game-busting bucket with just 33 ticks left on the clock.

Add another huge rebound, coming off of a missed free throw by a teammate at the 18-second mark, and the former Wolf was a woman on a mission.

Whitman edged out to a small lead (14-12) after one quarter of play, only to fall behind 35-32 at the half.

The Blues promptly doubled their score, however, tossing in 32 points during a wild and woolly third quarter, before hitting big shots down the stretch to hold on for the win.

Stone’s 21 points came on 9-15 shooting from the floor and 3-4 from the free-throw line, while Blues teammate Kaelan Shamseldin drilled five three-balls en route to 20 points of her own.

On the season, Stone, who leads Whitman in 13 of 22 stat categories, sits with 216 points, 116 rebounds, 22 assists, 18 steals and 17 blocks.

She’s shooting 92-176 from the field and 32-44 at the charity stripe.