Moses Lake heads to state after blowout win

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake girls basketball left little doubt as to who the better team was after its regional game against Kentridge.

Trailing 4-3 early in the first quarter, the Chiefs closed on an 11-0 run and began the second on a 10-2 run to build an insurmountable lead.

Moses Lake held a 21-point halftime lead and were able to salt the game away in the second half and won going away, 61-40.

"That feels great that we were able to jump out on top of them early," head coach Matt Strophy said. "One of our main things we knew they didn't go super deep in their bench so we wanted to attack them and we did that early. We got them in foul trouble. Number 12 picked up a couple, 24 picked up a couple. That kind of forced them to do some different things. When they took 12 out we pressed a little bit, that was effective for us."

Earlier in the week, Strophy explained that Kentridge was an emotional team and susceptible to mental lapses. Moses Lake was able to take advantage of the visibly frustrated Chargers after drawing an intentional foul on a break away.

"I could tell they were getting frustrated with each other and we had them at their frustration point, which was good," sophomore guard Jessie Loera said. "We just couldn't let them get back into it."

Kentridge's Courtney Williams was also whistled for a technical foul after she appeared to trip junior guard Alysha Overland after the two had tied up diving for a loose ball.

"We get two of their top scorers with two fouls and then to ... When we go on a little bit more of a run he puts them back in and he had to do it, I would've done the same thing, but then for us to be able to really keep chipping away when they get frustrated and keep attacking the basket and keep forcing the issue I think that was a big deal for us and I think that was kind of a breaking point," Strophy said. "That two or three minute swing right there where yeah they picked up fouls, but then there were the emotional fouls that really kind of set them up for heartache."

The Chiefs put their depth on display as the team scored 16 bench points and was able to build an 18-point lead with Loera going scoreless until about five minutes remained in the first half.

"I didn't realize that," Strophy said. "That's a true leader on the floor is being able to find the people who score and if she can have zero points and we win by 20, I mean I know she scored, but if we're up by 18 and she hasn't scored yet that's a huge deal for us."

Loera wasn't concerned with her point total, but more with the team's total.

"I'd rather just give it to my open players that are open and engage all the defenders," she said. "I don't really mind not scoring. I don't care about all the points. I just want to win so I do whatever it takes."

Loera hounded Kentridge's ball handlers the entire way up the floor and when teammate senior guard Hailee Bishop was fouled on a three-point attempt Loera lunged into the lane looking for the rebound after the second free throw.

Strophy chided her from the sideline with a "Good hustle, Jess."

Loera and junior guard McKenna Walker led the Chiefs with 14 points each while forwards senior Kaityln Stevens and junior Avery Clark both scored six.

Senior forward Selina Koon provided six points off the bench.

"I'm extremely proud of the girls," Strophy said. "They worked really hard to get back to the Tacoma Dome. It's been four years. The seniors as sophomores worked their way through that 3-18 year when some of the upperclassmen didn't come back."

Moses Lake will face Arlington in the first round of the state tournament on March 6. Tip off is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Entering regionals, Arlington was ranked No. 8 in the state, one spot ahead of Moses Lake.

"It feels so great," Loera said. "I get the chance like my sister did when she was there her first year. I always dreamed of doing it and I'm happy I got this chance ... We're just all ecstatic."