The Medical Lake girls’ basketball team heads for Christmas break sitting on top of the Northeast A League standings, and head coach Kyle Lundberg is not surprised.
The Cardinals have a 3-0 NEA record and 4-2 overall following wins on Dec. 13 at Chewelah, 71-55 and at home Dec. 16 versus Deer Park, 48-31. They are off until a Dec. 27 game with Kettle Falls (5 p.m.) in the West Valley tournament. They follow that with a Dec. 29 game against Priest River at 9 a.m.
“We knew we had a good team at the start of the season and I’m real happy with our level of play thus far,” Lundberg said.
With Makayla Geiger striking for a game-high 27 points, Medical Lake put together its best offensive night of the young season, leading 34-29, but adding to that with a 20-12 third quarter against the Cougars (1-2 NEA, 2-3 overall).
Geiger connected on an amazing 12 of 12 shooting from the field, Lundberg reported.
“It was the best offensive game I have seen her play,” Lundberg said. “She attacked the basket and was in the zone for sure.” Also delivering double-figure scoring for the Cardinals were Emily Munson with 12 points and 10 from Jaycee Oliver.
On Friday against Deer Park (2-1, 3-3), after trailing in a low-scoring opening quarter, Medical Lake caught fire and outscored the visitors 16-5 and led by 10 at halftime.
“Great shooting is what triggers those good quarters,” Lundberg said. “We did a great job pushing the ball, but not forcing it. We ran our offensive sets really well and found wide-open shots and knocked them down.”
Lexi Redell led the Cardinals, and all scorers, with 13 points with Munson adding 10. “These girls understand the game so well and play so smart,” Lundberg said of Redell and Munson. “They move the ball very well and can shoot extremely well; they are great players to have on this team.”
The mid-game fire subsided a little in the final quarter where Deer Park pumped in 12 points, and Lundberg knew where things slipped, but not too much.
“We didn’t take care of the ball very well,” Lundberg said. “We had way too many turnovers and tried to force it way too much, but I’m happy to have a 17-point win.” To be what Lundberg called, “The next level team,” Medical Lake needs to take care of the ball better.
Lundberg also reflected on a nice positive that has surfaced. “We are really starting to jell very well and continue to improve our chemistry.”
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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