Cardinal girls improve to 6-0

MEDICAL LAKE – The Medical Lake girls' basketball team ran its preseason record to a perfect 6-0 following wins last week against Greater Spokane League Rogers, Northeast A League Newport and 2B St. Georges.

Using a dominating third quarter and outscoring the Prates 25-4 to break a 21-all tie at halftime, the Cardinals won going away 63-32 at Rogers, Dec. 12. Medical Lake capped the week with a 40-24 win against NEA foe, Newport, Dec. 15 and 46-30 at St. Georges', Dec. 18.

Assessing the first half against Rogers, Cardinal head coach Yeta Holloway said the answer was simple: "Rogers played a great first half and we didn't."

Some minor adjustments made all the difference in the third-quarter run, Holloway said.

Charde Luat scored 16 points at Rogers but got ample help from Delaney Gunther (12) and Emma Heinemann (10) against Rogers. ML's defense held Rogers to just 11 second half points.

In the NEA opener, the Cardinals hung their success on defense and a balanced scoring attack. "Defense is our identity, we're going to have a lot of low scoring games," Holloway said.

The Cards had their first balanced scoring attack of the season against the Grizzlies with Luat, Gunther and Chiche Okembgo each with 10 points. Not to be outdone, however, Luat had a rare triple-double contributing 12 deflections and 10 steals.

"Chiche had her best game scoring of the season with 10 points," Holloway noted. "Chiche is the third scorer we need to make us a formidable opponent."

That balanced attack was present once again against St. George's, where Luat, Gunther and Okembgo all had 10 points.

The holiday break beckons, albeit it briefly, following a Dec. 19 game against the GSL's Shadle Park.

After Christmas comes, play at the West Valley Tournament is set for Dec. 27 against the GSL's East Valley and on Dec. 28 against Class 2B Liberty-(Spangle).

"Liberty is going to be a great test to close out the year," Holloway said. "They're undefeated with quality wins over Kettle Falls and Freeman."