Summit’s Gabriella Clinton conceded that Friday’s game against Lincoln was an eye-opener for the Storm.

As the Cardinals from Portland began to pull away in the first quarter, using an up-tempo and pressing attack similar to Summit’s, Clinton recalled recognizing the holes in the Storm’s play. Chief among them: Summit, she said, was not working together.

That changed in the third quarter, after the Storm trailed by as many as 14 points. The rejuvenated Storm were clicking, and they surged in the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to two points. Class 6A Lincoln, however, hit 4 of 6 free throws down the stretch and turn away 5A Summit 58-51 in girls basketball play in the Les Schwab Oregon Holiday Hoopfest at Bend High.

“I think we bailed them out with fouls,” said Clinton, a junior guard who finished with 10 points. “But they were a good team for us to play, and I think this is a good game for us. It’s just going to make us better as a team.”

Lincoln was in control in the first half as it picked apart the Storm’s defense en route to a 22-14 first-quarter lead that extended to 41-31 by halftime.

The high-scoring Cardinals, however, did not intimidate Summit coming out of the intermission, as the Storm clamped down defensively and limited Lincoln to just four points in the third period to narrow the gap to 45-39 heading into the fourth. Clinton began the final period by slicing through the Cardinals’ defense for a layup, and two possessions later, Madison Hagfors grabbed an offensive rebound and connected on a short look to bring Summit to within two points.

That was as close as the Storm would get, as several pushes late in the fourth quarter, including Clinton’s lay-in with about a minute to play to trim the deficit to 54-51, were halted by Lincoln.

“We knew coming into this game we played a similar style,” said Summit coach Cheryl Kent. “For us, it was a great opportunity to play a 6A school and get some great competition and learn how to play with that type of (system) very similar to us. We’re a team that’s not used to playing this style quite yet. So for us, it’s just an opportunity for us to grow every time we can play a team that plays a very similar style to us. It’s just a chance to learn.”

Kelsey Norby and Olivia Loberg each had nine points for the Storm, who dropped their second straight, while Bailey Dickerson chipped in with seven points. Kate Nichols and Reed Hazard paced Lincoln with 15 and 12 points, respectively.

“That’s the thing about this (Summit): They’re the hardest-working team you’re going to see,” said Kent, whose team begins Intermountain Conference play Friday at home against Redmond High. “They come out and they give a hundred percent every time they step on the floor. For them, it shows they might get down, but they fight and come back. … They’re learning. They’re growing. We don’t expect them to peak right now. We want them to peak in March.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0307, glucas@bendbulletin.com