Twin sisters lead Sumner HS girls basketball to state tourney

Twins help lead Sumner girls basketball

The Spartans have never won a game at the 4A State basketball tournament on the girl’s side. This year, they’re powered by two senior twin sisters, Alyson and Catelyn Deaver.

SUMNER, Wash. - The Sumner High School girl’s basketball team is 23-2– their best season in decades. Now, they want to make history at the state tournament.

The Spartans have never won a game at the 4A State Basketball Tournament on the girl’s side. This year, they’re powered by two senior twin sisters, Alyson and Catelyn Deaver.

Alyson is averaging over 25 points and 10 rebounds a game, while Catelyn is putting up 12 points and 10 boards.

They don’t always get along perfectly, but they do know how to win.

"We’re our best friend, but we’re also each other’s worst enemy because we’re always talking, always communicating, whether we’re doing good, bad-- we always have that person giving us constant feedback," Alyson said.

"They’re sisters-- they want each other to succeed, but there’s also a bit of a competitive nature, which is good. It fuels the fire, right? It helps our team," said head coach Katie Hyppa.

While they share a birthday and a drive to win, their personalities are completely different.

Hyppa said their differing personalities mix perfectly well on the court.

"They know exactly where the other one is going to be at all times. Literally just yesterday, we were going over rotations in a half court set and they kept doing things one way and I'm like ‘only you can do it this way because no one else can read your mind. You’re the only two that can read each other’s minds,'" Hyppa said.

"We count on each other a lot," Catelyn said.

"Yeah, I think sometimes we’ll look at each other and we’ll have one of those nice plays and we’re just like ‘it’s nice having her out there, by my side,’" Alyson said.

And that continues next season when they’ll play Division I hoops at Utah Tech. But their focus right now is on the present. Last year’s state tournament was lost, and this is their last chance to make history.

"Our Sumner program has never won a game at state, so it would mean so much to us. Especially like, all the fans that come to our games, that’s just big for our team and the community and everything," Catelyn said.

Sumner plays a regional game against Richland on Saturday at noon at Auburn High School to determine seeding into the state tournament.

Games at the Tacoma Dome begin on March 2.