MEDICAL LAKE – The Cardinals boys basketball returned to Northeast A League play last week after the holiday break and left with a pair of road losses.
The Cardinals lost 64-31 to Riverside, Jan. 3. and Colville 82-75 in overtime, Jan. 12.
Colville (1-2 NEA, 1-9 overall) first rallied to tie in regulation — knotting it with just three seconds to play — and then outscored Medical Lake 13-6 in the extra period to win their first game of the season.
The Cardinals’ failing down the stretch was largely at the free throw line.
“We had a 13-point lead with 5:30 left,” head coach Brett Ward reported via email. “We missed 11 fourth quarter free throws including eight in a row in the last 2 minutes.”
Maverick Rasmussen led the Cards with 29 points while Lebo Holloway had nine.
“Mav played a great game and our transition offense is much improved,” Ward said.
Against Riverside (3-0, 8-3) the Cardinals struggled early against the Rams’ pressure, Ward said. “We adjusted and played better in the late second quarter and third quarter, but too little too late.”
Cody Peterson led Medical Lake (1-2, 2-9) with 12 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line.
“We are showing flashes of being a good team (but we) just can’t put it together consistently yet,” Ward said. “One game it’s the defense and next it’s the offense.”
Ward continues, however, to be optimistic as any coach would.
“They are working to break through the glass, and I believe we will,” he said. “These losses are great learning opportunities for us.”
Medical Lake returned home this week for games against Deer Park (1-2, 3-7) on Jan. 9 and Freeman (4-0, 10-2) on Jan. 12 at 5:45 p.m.
The games were played after press time.
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