Heat roll to win in opener
Courtesy photoMembers of the Ephrata Heat girls basketball team pose after winning the Kickoff Classic tournament in Hermiston, Ore. last weekend. Pictured from left to right; top row: Astride Ham, Kyna Jacobsen, Sierra Woods, Sarah Pheasant. Bottom row: Coach Mingo Scott, Shala Scott, Monae Hendrickson, Kendall Sage, Fredlynne Ham.
Ephrata team rolls to championship
HERMISTON, Ore. - The Ephrata Heat seventh grade girls Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball team began the tournament season with a championship performance in Hermiston, Ore. Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.
The Ephrata Heat won the Kickoff Classic championship with a 5-0 tournament record.
On their way to the tournament championship the Ephrata Heat defeated Oregon AAU teams from Hermiston and Pendelton and also knocked off AAU teams from Walla Walla and Kennewick to qualify for the championship game.
The Heat entered the championship game with a perfect 4-0 record and again played Walla Walla, this time for the title.
Ephrata fell behind in the championship game before the Heat rallied with a solid defensive effort to hold off Walla Walla 29-21, said Ephrata Heat head coach Mingo Scott.
"I was happy with the way we executed," he said. "We play a full court press, run and gun game."
This was the first tournament of the season for the Ephrata Heat and Scott said his team played to his expectations.
"They played great," he said. "This was the first tournament. We kept up the defensive intensity."