Lions off to 10-1 start

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School boys basketball team has opened the season with a near-perfect mark, improving to 10-1 with Friday night’s road win over Oroville.

The Lions have won nine straight games since a Dec. 7 loss to Tonasket and are 4-0 in Central Washington B games this winter.

“It’s coming together with team chemistry, and we’re settling into our roles,” Head Coach Emerson Ferguson said. “They’ve changed this year with new players in the lineup. We’ve been playing our brand of basketball that we’ve been playing for the last few years.”

After opening the season with wins over Wilson Creek and Cascade (Leavenworth), along with the loss to the Tigers, the Lions played three games in three consecutive days, taking on Warden, Bridgeport and Odessa from Dec. 17-19. MLCA/CCS defeated the Cougars 38-37, Bridgeport 62-50 and Odessa 77-41.

“The main thing I was telling the boys was, ‘At state we have to do the same thing,’” Ferguson said of the back-to-back-to-back games. “It’s no different, we might as well get used to it.”

After a nine-day break, MLCA/CCS returned to the court Dec. 28 to host Waterville/Mansfield, taking down the Shockers 58-28 after shutting them out in the first quarter. Five days later, at home against Manson, they defeated the Trojans 61-52 with juniors Johnny Ferguson and Dennis Gulenko both finishing in double figures (17 and 15, respectively).

“I’m really proud of the defense in those two games because it’s just getting better and better and better,” Emerson Ferguson said. “At the same time, the boys are shooting the ball really well and we’re getting better at being patient on offense.”

MLCA/CCS returned to league play on Tuesday by traveling to Soap Lake, defeating the Eagles 59-33 on their home floor. 

“It was all defense, that was a game that we dominated defensively and never really allowed them to get into a rhythm,” Ferguson said. “We were able to control the game defensively and attack the basket really well offensively.”

Thursday night against Liberty Christian, a state tournament-qualifying team last season, Johnny Ferguson paced the Lions with 28 points in a 66-56 win, a game where the Lions held the Patriots to just 13 first-half points. 

“(Defense) was what allowed us to control that game, what allowed us to get out of there with a 10-point win,” Emerson said. “One thing over the years that we struggled with was free throws; we were 70% (Thursday). That’s something that I’ve been waiting for.”

Strong defensive play has been consistent for the Lions in recent seasons, and that’s no different this winter; MLCA/CCS is surrendering just under 41 points per game through its first 11 outings.

Friday’s 71-29 road win over Oroville allowed the Lions to improve to 10-1 overall this fall, an accomplishment they’ve reached for the second consecutive season; last year’s MLCA/CCS team finished the regular season with a 17-1 overall record.

The Lions play host to Entiat in a league game Tuesday. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

    MLCA/CCS junior Dennis Gulenko (32) rises to shoot the ball during a game against Soap Lake in the 2023-24 season. The Lions defeated the Eagles 59-33 on Tuesday night in Soap Lake.
  

    MLCA/CCS junior James Robertson, right, dribbles the ball toward the basket during a state tournament game against Neah Bay last season. Robertson was one of four Lions who finished in double figures in Thursday’s game against Liberty Christian, joining fellow juniors Johnny Ferguson (28) and Dennis Gulenko (11), along with sophomore Max Gulenko (11).
  

    MLCA/CCS sophomore Max Gulenko (20) dribbles the ball toward the rim against Waterville-Mansfield last season. The Lions defeated the Shockers 58-58 on Dec. 28.