The Montesano and Elma girls basketball teams both picked up wins as we review all of Thursday’s Twin Harbors prep basketball action.
GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL
Montesano 57, La Center 15
Led by a staunch defense, Montesano opened its 2022-23 season with a 57-15 rout over La Center on Thursday at La Center High School.
The Bulldogs (1-0 overall) held the Wildcats to just six points in the first half and a single point in the third quarter en route to the victory.
Monte led 18-2 at the end of the first quarter and had the game well in hand at the half with a 36-6 lead.
University of Minnesota-bound senior McKynnlie Dalan scored 18 points to lead the Bulldogs while senior guard Jordan Karr and freshman Evanjillie Dalan added nine points each for Monte.
The Bulldogs shot 24-of-59 (41%) from the floor and hit 7-of-18 (39%) from the free-throw line.
Monte won the game with a defense that swarmed La Center shooters and held a distinct 41-26 advantage on the boards.
“It was a typical first game. A little sloppy on our part,” Montesano head coach Mark Mansfield said of his team’s lackluster shooting before praising the defensive effort. “Overall, our defense played very well and came out with a lot of intensity and got after them early.”
Montesano will play its home-opener at 3 p.m. Saturday when the Bulldogs host Nooksack Valley.
Montesano 18 18 14 7 — 57
La Center 2 4 1 8 — 15
Scoring: M — M. Dalan 18, E. Dalan 9, Karr 9, Young 7, King 7, Stanfield 5, Schrader 2
Elma 44, Rochester 38
Elma picked up its first win of the young season with a 44-38 victory over Rochester on Thursday in Elma.
The Eagles (1-1 overall) had the full compliment of its lineup after playing with just three varsity starters in a loss to Aberdeen on Tuesday.
Elma got out to a 15-8 lead after the first quarter led by junior standout Aaleigha Weld’s nine points in the frame, including a pair of 3-pointers.
The Eagles defense held Rochester 9-of-25 (36%) shooting in the first half to take a 26-18 lead at halftime.
The Warriors got back into the game by outscoring Elma 11-5 in the third quarter as the Eagles shot just 23% on 6-of-26 shooting in the period.
Leading 31-29 entering the fourth quarter, Elma got to the line as Mia Monroe and Eliza Sibbett went a combined 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in the period to help the Eagles to the 44-38 win.
Weld finished with 15 points to lead the Eagles.
Elma’s Nicole Johanson and Monroe added nine points apiece with Sibbett scoring eight points.
The Eagles will take on Adna at 6:15 p.m. Friday in Adna.
Rochester 8 10 11 9 — 38
Elma 15 11 5 13 — 44
Scoring: E — Weld 15, Johanson 9, Monroe 9, Sibbett 8, DeMoss 2, Spencer 1. R — Winter 19, Angwood 6, Cordell 5, Kush 4, Pratt 3, Cintron 2.
Other scores
North Beach 60, Wishkah Valley 33
BOYS PREP BASKETBALL
Chief Leschi 70, Ocosta 47
Ocosta ran out of gas against Chief Leschi in a 70-47 loss on Wednesday in Puyallup.
The Wildcats (0-1, 0-1 2B Pacific) were neck-and-neck with the Warriors (1-1, 1-0) in a league matchup that was deadlocked at 17-all in the second quarter.
But foul trouble and fatigue started to take a toll on Ocosta as Chief Leschi ran the floor and played pressure defense.
The Wildcats fell behind by 14 at the half and never got closer throughout the second half.
Wildcats senior Xander Prigmore scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds with senior Mark Lewis (13 points, 4 rebounds) also scoring in double figures for Ocosta.
Senior Josh Figueroa lead Ocosta with 11 rebounds.
The Wildcats went 19-for-47 (39%) from the field in the season-opener and hit on just 8-of-23 (35%) free throws.
“With only eight suited up last night, we battled as well as I could expect,” Ocosta head coach Jason Quinby said.
Ocosta takes on Hoquiam at 7 p.m. on Friday in Hoquiam.
