Warrior boys place second at MLC tourney
Jared Sabin, Wahluke's 6-foot, 2-inch post, beats the taller Moses Lake Christian front line to the hoop for two points during the MLC Christmas Tournament finale.
MATTAWA - The Wahluke High School boys basketball team defeated Tri City Prep, 52-48, to claim second place at the Moses Lake Christian Christmas Tournament last week.
The Warriors scrapped their way to the victory in three overtimes on the 27th. They put up another fight against the host Lions the next night but ran out of gas and fell, 52-49, in the title game.
The split left the Warriors with a 4-4 record. They will try to go over .500 for the second time this season in a home non-league game against LaSalle.
In the TCP game, Wahluke prevailed despite some shooting woes. The Warriors trailed by one point at half-time and failed to score in the third period.
Wahluke won the fourth period, 16-6, and set up the wild three overtime finish. Edgar Ledesma's free throw with eight seconds left sealed the win.
Saul Juarez led the Warriors with 18 points. Ledesma and Oscar Onofre scored nine each. Sabin gathered 11 rebounds, and Prudente grabbed 10. The team had 23 steals, led by Onofre's and Ledesma's five each.
In the title game, the Warriors led most of the way, but the wear of the previous night showed late. MLC won the fourth period, 18-10.
"It was a great game that went down to the last second, when we missed a three-pointer to tie it up," coach Cody Marlow said.
Prudente scored 12 points and corralled nine rebounds. Sabin had 10 and nine. Onofre had 11 points, and Juarez had 10.
"These were two great games for us to help get our legs under us before the break is over," Marlow said.