By DANNIE OLIVEAUX | Editor

TACOMA — Crosspoint Academy sophomore guard Kailey Bandara didn’t make many 3-point shots during pre-game warmups before their Class 1B regional winner-to-state matchup game against Shoreline Christian.

But Bandara drilled six 3-pointers in the first half to help the Warriors to a 44-21 win Feb. 28, at Mount Tahoma High School.

Crosspoint (23-3) will play Sunnyside Christian March 5 in the first round of the 2015 Hardwood Classic at Spokane’s Veteran’s Memorial Arena. Game time is 10:30 a.m.

Bandara finished with 26 points, including eight 3-pointers.

“I didn’t hit a single 3-point shot in warmups,” Bandara.

But it didn’t stop her from attempting her first long ball.

“Once you hit one, you get a feel for it and if you’re wide open, every shot seems like it going to go down, especially when my teammates make perfect passes,” she said.

Behind Bandara, Crosspoint jumped out to a 20-4 first-period lead with the aid of a 12-0 run.

They went into halftime with a commanding 32-9 lead.

“We had a great first half, but the second half we had some suspect stuff,” said head coach Bryan Hanley. “We kind of let down because we had the big lead at halftime.”

Hanley said his team moved the ball well and made good shots.

“We certainly had the hot shooter and we did a good job getting the ball to the hot shooter,” he said. “As along as she was making them, why quit firing.”

Crosspoint, formerly King’s West, will make their seventh appearance at state under Hanley. The Warriors finished fourth at state in 2008.

While Bandara was lighting up from the outside, the Warriors were dominating inside the paint. They out rebounded the Chargers, 37-20, as 6-footers Cailyn Cattell, a senior, and Kalie Nelson, a junior, collected 20 boards. Cattell added 10 points and Nations had a layup.

Senior Desere’s Doty had only four points, but she was instrumental in quarterbacking the Crosspoint offense.

“She (Doty) is my floor general,” Hanley noted. “She can score, but when her shot is not dropping, she is smart enough and a good enough teammate, then she can distribute the ball.”

Hanley said he has four players who are capable of hitting 20 points in a game.

“They can really go off on the offensive end,” said Hanley. “They can get 20 point easily. When we get two or three players on fire that is a lot of fun.”

“It was awesome is so much fun playing with the girls since I was in the sixth grade,” said Bandara. ‘It was exciting to win a regional playoff game. It’s unreal.”

This will be Bandara’s first time to the state tournament as starter. She went last year with the team.

“A couple of us girls went down last year to just watch and get a feel for it, but this year to be actually playing is awesome,” she said.

Hanley said his squad did some good things on the court and that all the players got to play in a regional game.

“That’s good for the future,” he said.

The school has been to the state tournament 12 times since 1996 and placed fourth in 2008 in 2B as King’s West. In 2012, Crosspoint lost to Adna, 45-31, in 2B regional play.

State history of Crosspoint girls basketball team since 2000.

2010: Lost to Colton, 79-15; beat Lummi, 33-31, lost to Neah Bay in consolation championship, 63-22.

2008: Beat Tacoma Baptist, 48-30; lost to LaSalle, 57-25, beat St. George’s, 45-40, beat Liberty Bell, 48-43, in consolation finals (fourth place).

2007: Lost to St. George’s, 51-44, lost Liberty Bell, 36-35.

2006: Lost to LaSalle, 59-35, lost to Sprague-Harrington, 61-37

2005: Lost to Almira-Coulee-Hartline, 70-51; lost to Toutle Lake, 59-47.

2004: Lost to Sprague-Harrington, 51-50; beat Garfield-Palouse, 53-51; lost to Sunnyside Christian, 57-50, in consolation championship.

2003: Beat Wellpinit, 61-51; lost to Tekoa-Oakesdale, 64-41; lost to Naselle, 65-55, in consolation championship

2001: Lost to LaCrosse-Washtucna, 57-48; beat Willapa Valley, 55-41; lost to Pateros, 57-54, in consolation championship.

2000: Lost to Lyle, 52-45; lost to Selkirk, 47-30.