Cardinals split early tourney games

SPOKANE VALLEY - The Medical Lake girls' basketball team split a pair of early games at the West Valley Holiday Tournament ending a three-game losing streak with a Dec. 27 win 37-22 over Northport.

The Cardinals followed with a 35-30 loss to Kettle Falls, Dec. 28 and finished play in the jamboree with a Dec. 30 contest against Priest River.

"We had a good win against Northport," head coach Yeta Holloway wrote in a text message, noting that his team overcame a slow start where they led just 5-3 after a quarter.

This was the Cardinals second win this season against the Mustangs. The teams met Dec. 13 with ML winning 43-31.

"Most if not all the teams we play this season will have a size advantage against us, but the girls battled the entire four quarters and pulled away," Holloway said.

Adasha Gardner and Kade Endres each scored 12 points for Medical Lake.

Medical Lake was unable to dig itself out of a 24-14 halftime deficit against Kettle Falls, but Holloway came away with positives.

"The girls didn't win, but we're improving in the stressful moments," the Cards coach observed. "Our customary slow start was the obvious difference in the game."

While offense was slow in coming around against the Bulldogs, and the Cardinals struggled throughout to score in crucial instances, defense picked up its game.

K-Falls' Ella Johnson had 16 of her 23 points in the first half, so "We did a better job defending her in the second half," Holloway said.

Jocee Bryant scored eight points to lead ML with Addison Hammel adding six more.