Moses Lake girls pull off comeback win over Pasco

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake trailed the Bulldogs most of Tuesday night’s game, but the Mavericks stood strong down the stretch of the fourth quarter to ride out to a 50-44 win over Pasco.

“It took composure, which I have been pleased with overall throughout the course of our season that we’ve been able to keep our composure and keep fighting,” Moses Lake coach Matt Strophy said. “We’re pretty resilient.”

Pasco led 29-27 at the end of the third quarter, but the two sides traded the lead four times through the final frame Tuesday night; the final lead change came on a basket by Moses Lake junior Kaiya Char that put the Mavs up 39-37.

Moses Lake was able to seal the win with strong performances at the free throw line; Char, junior Madison Bond, senior Lexi Cox and senior Kendall Reffett all hit clutch shots at the line, with Reffett converting all four of her attempts.

“Just nose to the grindstone kind of mindset,” Strophy said. “When you have somebody like Kendall Reffett who can ice the game with four-for-four at the free throw line … it’s awesome to have a kid like that that can get something done at the end.”

Moses Lake’s comeback bid was jumpstarted late in the third quarter with senior Rylee Nollette scored a basket underneath the rim, then hit both of her free throws to the the Pasco lead to 29-27 in the final minute of the third quarter. 

“For us to be able to make that and not give them that opportunity creates some confidence going into that final fourth quarter,” Strophy said. 

Pasco led the Mavs 10-8 after the first quarter, though Moses Lake tied and took the lead on back-to-back baskets by Char. From then the Bulldogs went on a 10-0 run headlined by back-to-back three-pointers, which was ended on a layup by Cox. Moses Lake was able to end the first half on a 6-0 run, cutting the deficit to 22-18 at the break.

The Bulldog run was headlined by Maverick turnovers, though Moses Lake slowed the game down towards the end of the second quarter to get themselves back in the game.

“They want to steal the ball, so get them moving where you want them to go so that we can pass it where we actually want to pass it,” Strophy said. “When we slowed ourselves down and controlled our own tempo, were able to not turn the ball over and reduce that going into half.”

Cox led the Mavs with 16 points Tuesday night, with freshman Graycie Kast, Bond and Char all scoring eight points. Nollette and Reffett both scored four points. 

Moses Lake travels to Wenatchee on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and hosts Sunnyside at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

“We’re capable, we just need to be consistent so we can demonstrate who we really are every night; not just once in a while,” Strophy said.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Box score

PASC: 10-12-7-15 44
MSLK: 8-10-9-23 50

    Moses Lake freshman Graycie Kast, in white, drives toward the rim in the first half against Pasco.
  

    Moses Lake junior Madison Bond (11) defense a Pasco player in the first half.