Pateros perimeter shooting too much for Moses Lake Christian

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake Christian Academy senior Ben Cabellero scored 11 of his game-high 26 points in the second quarter, but the Lions just didn’t have an answer for Pateros’ perimeter game in Tuesday night’s 57-42 loss.

The Billygoats (13-6, 9-3 CWB) poured in 13 3-point baskets to pull away from the Lions (8-10, 6-5 CWB), which closed to 22-18 with a minute left in the first half. Pateros sophomore Andrew Gonzalez had five from beyond the arc en route to 19 points and freshman Ethan Freels had five three’s in the first half on his way to a team-high 20 points.

“By far it was the 3-ball that turned this game. They shot the ball really well,” Lions coach Lonny Brown said. “The kids played hard all night long, like they do every night. We played well defensively, it just that they hit the shots.”

Moses Lake Christian made it a four-point difference, 22-18, with 1:43 remaining in the first half when Caballero banked one in off the glass on a runner through the lane. But Gonzalez, who did his damage coming off the bench, hit one from beyond the arc to make it a five point lead at the intermission.

“We don’t have the kind of shooters to match up with them, but we got the ball into Ben Cabellero and he did a great job tonight,” Brown said. “We were rebounding well (36-28). We just didn’t have an answer for their 3-point shooting.”

Moses Lake Christian cut it to 25-22 on a couple of free throws by Cabellero, who finished with 11 rebounds, to open the second half. But Freels knocked down a 3-point basket on the Billygoats first possession and Pateros went on a 10-2 run to put things out of reach. Cole Francisco hit a six-foot jumper in the lane to make it 38-28 as time ran out in the third quarter.

The game marked the return of Jeffrey Holm, who has been out since the Christmas break with an injury. The 5-foot-9 junior finished with six points.

“We’re improving every day with a lot of young kids out there,” Brown said. “We’re coming along. We’re locked into the fourth seed at districts, but we have a big game coming up on Thursday with Riverside Christian.”

Score by quarters

Pateros 18 7 13 19 - 57

Moses Lake Christian 9 11 8 14 - 42

Pateros - Andrew Gonzalez 18, Sam Larsen 8, Jorge Flores 5, Logan Robinson 5, Ethan Freels 20. Totals - Field goals: 18. 3-point goals: 13. Free throws: 8-18. Score: 57

Moses Lake Christian - Cole Francisco 2, Chris Voight 2, Ben Cabellero 26, Jeffrey Holm 6, Walt Meise 6. Totals - Field goals: 15. 3-point goals: 2. Free throws: 10-14. Score: 42