Ask any coach and they’ll tell you it is quite difficult to beat a team three times in a season.

Four times is asking too much.

Four times against a top 10 team — nearly impossible.

But that is exactly what the Raymond Seagulls accomplished on Friday, March 4, in defeating No. 8 Chief Leschi 56-42 in a 2B State Girls Basketball Tournament elimination game at the Spokane Arena.

Playing in its third game in as many days, Raymond (20-3 overall) took control early and kept its foot on the pedal en route to a 35-15 halftime lead, including outscoring their Pacific County rival Warriors (13-7) 20-6 in the second quarter.

“After the blowout loss to Colfax (in the quarterfinals) last night the girls were ready to wash that bad taste out of their mouth and compete,” Raymond head coach Jason Koski said. “They showed great resolve and resiliency in the first half.”

Chief Leschi responded in the second half, trimming what was once a 21 point lead in the first half down to eight in a second-half performance Koski said resembled their last meeting in the District 4 title game on Feb. 19.

“We lost our defensive focus and didn’t run good offense to counter that,” he said. “Luckily, we made just enough free throws to seal the game away.”

The Seagulls made 20-of-26 free throws in the game (76.9 percent), led by Kyra Gardner and Grace Busenius, who went a perfect 7-for-7 and 6-for-6 from the line, respectively.

Gardner, who had become must-see viewing at the Spokane tournament, put up another gaudy stat line with 24 points, nine steals and eight rebounds.

Raymond’s Karsyn Freeman added 12 points, while both Busenius and Paige Williams scored eight points apiece.

Williams came off the bench to lead Raymond with 15 rebounds in a performance Koski said gave the Seagulls “a great energy boost.”

Raymond’s defense had 11 steals and scored 20 points off 20 turnovers.

The Seagulls held an 18-8 advantage in second-chance points and a 10-0 edge in bench points.

Raymond 15 20 9 12 — 56

Chief Leschi 9 6 13 14 — 42

Raymond (56) — Gardner 24, Freeman 12, Busenius 8, Williams 8, Koski 2, Swogger 2

Chief Leschi (42) — Mitchell 17, Pluff 15, Gallegos 7, Satiacum-Bil 2, Hudson 1

ERIC TRENT | THE CHRONICLE Raymond’s Kyndal Koski (12) claps in celebration after the Seagulls defeat Chief Leschi on Friday, March 4, 2022, to secure their first state trophy since 1991.