Cardinal boys salvage week with win over Colville

It was a week where early on, Medical Lake head boys' basketball coach Noel Hachtel would just as soon forget. But it finished well.

The Cardinals went on the road and absorbed losses of 79-70 at Lakeside in a Northeast A League contest on Jan. 9 and then traveled to Cheney to take a 69-47 thumping at the hands of the Blackhawks in the annual Golden Feather spirit game. The run of bad outings - five losses in a row - came to an end Saturday when Medical Lake earned a 74-69 win at Colville.

An undermanned Cardinal team traveled to Suncrest to meet the Eagles (4-3 NEA, 6-7 overall). "Our team was also hit by the flu bug," Hachtel wrote in an email.

"Two players were at home sick and three others played under the weather."

Hence, perhaps, the slow start that saw Lakeside up 21-11 after a quarter. Medical Lake responded with a 22-20 edge in the second and trailed 41-33 at halftime.

"There were 47 total fouls called during the game," Hachtel said. "When that many fouls are called it's hard to get into a rhythm."

A casualty of that was one of the team's leading scorers, Garren Garza, who still dished up 20 points before he fouled out. Hachtel called the four charging calls Garza received, "questionable."

Derek Steege had 18 points and Sam Gollehon 17 in a game that had the pace of a college game for Medical Lake (4-4, 5-7). Tristan Cox, grandson of former Eastern Washington standout, Ron Cox, matched Garza's stats line.

In the electrified atmosphere of Friday's Golden Feather spirit game, Medical Lake had a brief 4-2 lead 1 minute, 20 seconds into the contest. But it spiraled downward from there. Medical Lake had four turnovers between the 5:35 to 4:04 mark, which helped Cheney (5-8) go on an 11-0 run and take a 13-4 lead. An 11-2 run closed out the quarter with CHS in the lead 24-6.

Besides turnovers, the height disparity also was a factor for Medical Lake. "They were just so tall, all across the board," Hachtel said. "It's hard to ask a 5-foot, 8-inch guard to try and contain a 6-3 guard."

Garza's 11 points and Steege with 10 led the Cardinals who finally got untracked in the second half. Jake Berman scored 24 to lead Cheney, and all scorers.

Hachtel singled out Cheney head coach Gregg Smith with a major compliment. "Gregg displayed amazing sportsmanship throughout the game," Hachtel said. "He saw that I was playing my bench players and matched my move. What class."

A big second quarter where Medical Lake had a 24-18 edge and got them into the lead 41-38 at halftime paved the way for the win at Colville (1-6, 4-9). Steege had 23 to lead all scorers. Garza added 15 while Ty Sandaine had 17 for Colville.

The Indians stayed in this one at the free throw line with 20 points. "They were only able to score 19 points in their half court sets," Hachtel said.

Medical Lake also had a good night at the charity stripe, hitting 21 of 29 free throws. But they also were solid from 3-point range with nine 3's. Of Steege's points, 15 came from long range. With flu causing some personnel issues with the Cardinals, the team welcomed Dante Main back from an illness. He scored eight points on 4 of 4 shooting.

Medical Lake was home against Riverside (0-7 NEA, 2-11 overall) on Jan. 16, traveled to Chewelah (4-3, 7-4) Friday, Jan. 19 (7:30 p.m.) and hosts Deer Park (3-4, 5-7) Saturday at 6 p.m.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].