Chiefs blitz Panthers in lopsided win
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake point guard Jamie Loera throws a no-look pass against Wenatchee.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake's Taylor Stevens passes through contact against Wenatchee.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake's Maggie Strom jumps for a lay-up against Wenatchee.
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake's modus operandi has always been to run — run fast and run hard.
Against an undermanned Wenatchee team that has the propensity to unravel, an early lead was crucial. A 9-0 run and eight first-quarter points from Jamie Loera helped Moses Lake build a 23-10 lead after the first eight minutes and cruise to a win 60-32.
“Our goal is to jump on a team like Wenatchee right at the very get go because they tend to get themselves frustrated and they have a hard time coming back from a deficit and that's been traditional for them,” head coach Matt Strophy. “If we allow them to play with us then anything can happen, but if we can jump on them like we did it kind of demoralizes them.”
Loera made a pair of three-pointers and capped the 9-0 run with a steal and breakaway lay-up.
Loera, who was uncharacteristically open for most of the game, was able to step into warm-up jumpers and finish with a game-high 21 points. Jessica Olson and Abby Rathbun added 10 and 11 points, respectively.
Olson closed the first half with a heady play, stealing the ball from Demary Sugg before launching a half-court shot and drawing a foul as time expired. Olson made two of the three free throws, building the lead to 23 points.
Alli Hallberg, Wenatchee's 6-footer, was held to a season-low five points. Hallberg was primarily defended by Morgan Yamane and had one of her shots palmed by Loera on a drive in the third quarter.
It's those kind of highlight plays that energize an opportunistic Chiefs team.
“Everybody, not only on the court but on the bench, we all get excited for each other even after the play's over,” Olson said. “When they come off we still liked stand up and clap for each other. I think that gets our momentum going and I think that happened a lot tonight.”
Box score
| Moses Lake | 23 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 60 | Wenatchee | 0 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 32 |
ML — Jamie Loera 21, Abby Rathbun 11, Jessica Olson 10, Morgan Yamane 6, Alexya Sandmann 5, Maggie Strom 2, Taylor Stevens 2, Charity Talo 2, Ellie Mayo 1
Davis 45, Moses Lake 43
YAKIMA — Moses Lake led 21-20 at halftime, but fell to Davis 45-43.
The Chiefs were outscored 15-4 in the third quarter.
Jamie Loera led all scorers with 18 points and Abby Rathbun had 10.