BASIN HOOPS ROUNDUP: Knights remain unbeaten

MOSES LAKE — With most local teams having their slate of non-conference games now in the rearview mirror, boys and girls basketball teams head into the new year aiming to pick up wins against league opponents.  

Read along for a look at where Basin squads stand in their league standings, and a glance at how local teams have fared on the court recently. 

Royal 

Boys (12-0) 

The Knights boys squad maintained their undefeated start to the 2024-25 season with wins over both College Place and Kiona-Benton over the weekend, defeating the Hawks 68-26 on Friday before taking down the Bears 71-54 on the road Saturday. Royal travels to Zillah on Friday for a rematch against the Leopards, who they defeated 75-59 at home Jan. 4. 

Girls (7-5) 

After four consecutive losses to Mt. Spokane, Sandpoint (Idaho), Zillah and Naches Valley dropped the Knights to 5-5 overall this winter, Royal got back in the win column over the weekend with wins over College Place (72-34) on Friday and Kiona-Benton (40-28) on Saturday. The Knights travel to Zillah on Friday to take on the first-place Leopards.  

Almira/Coulee-Hartline  

Boys (7-1) 

ACH finds itself in a three-way tie for second place in the Northeast 1B league standings, posting just one league loss this season. Joining the Warriors in the second-place tie are Inchelium and Wellpinit, the latter of which gave ACH its lone loss this season. 

Since the new year, ACH has defeated Liberty Bell 61-48 on Jan. 3, Odessa 79-25 on Jan. 7, Chesterton 70-25 on Friday and Mary Walker 77-36 on Jan. 11. After Tuesday’s game against Mary Walker, ACH hosts Wilbur-Creston-Keller on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

Girls (8-4) 

The Warriors have won each of their last four games, defeating Liberty Bell 54-26 on Jan. 3, Odessa 47-25 on Jan. 7, Chesterton 66-43 on Friday and Mary Walker 46-8 on Saturday. ACH hosted Valley Christian on Tuesday night, but scores were not available in time for press deadline; the Warriors, third in the Northeast 1B standings with a 6-1 league record, return to the court Friday at home against Wilbur-Creston-Keller. 

Ephrata 

Boys (3-9) 

Since defeating Othello 62-45 at home on January 3, led by 19 points from senior Payton Riggs, the Tigers have fallen in their most recent three outings, suffering a 57-46 loss to Ellensburg on Jan. 4, a 56-46 loss to East Valley (Yakima) on Jan. 7 and a 49-44 loss Jan. 10.  

Ephrata hosted Prosser Tuesday night, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. The Tigers travel to Grandview on Friday at 7 p.m. 

Girls (0-12) 

Still seeing their first win, the Ephrata Tigers played host to Prosser on Tuesday night, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. Ephrata travels to Grandview on Friday for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff. 

Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 

Boys (4-9) 

The Broncos fell to 4-9 with last weekend’s losses to Liberty (Spangle) and Colfax, still seeking their first win in the Northeast 2B (South). LRS travels to Freeman on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

Girls (9-4) 

After beginning the season with a 1-3 record, the Bronco girls basketball team has won eight of its last nine games, including recently defeating Medical Lake 55-32 on Jan. 7, Liberty (Spangle) 59-55 on Friday and Colfax 59-52 on Saturday.  

LRS’ lone loss since Dec. 10 came Jan. 3, falling on the road against Northwest Christian (Colbert) 47-41. The Broncos travel to Freeman on Friday at 6 p.m. 

Moses Lake 

Boys (6-6) 

Moses Lake’s three-game winning streak came to an end Saturday when the Mavericks fell 79-52 on the road against West Valley (Yakima), dropping their record to 6-6 overall and giving Moses Lake its first Columbia Basin Big 9 loss of the season. Their previous three wins had come against Hanford, winning 72-60 on Dec. 28, Shadle Park, a 77-69 win Dec. 30 and Eastmont, an 82-77 win Jan. 10. 

The Mavericks stand in third of the Big 9 standings, behind league-leading Davis and sharing a 3-1 league record with West Valley. 

Moses Lake travels to Cascade (Leavenworth) on Thursday and Davis on Friday. 

Girls (4-7) 

After losses to Ridgeline (68-36) and Lewis and Clark (44-36) over the holiday break, the Mavericks fell in both of last weekend’s games, first losing 46-33 at home to Eastmont before a 51-13 road loss against West Valley (Yakima).  

Moses Lake aims to get back in the win column with upcoming games against Cascade (Leavenworth) and Davis on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Both games are on the road. 

MLCA/CCS 

Boys (10-1)  

The Lions saw their win streak stretch to nine in a row with Friday’s 71-29 road win over Oroville, which came one night after defeating Liberty Christian 66-56 at home. MLCA/CCS hasn’t lost a game since a 60-46 loss to Tonasket on Dec. 7. 

MLCA/CCS hosted Entiat on Tuesday night, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. The Lions travel to La Salle on Jan. 21. 

Girls (5-6) 

MLCA/CCS has won three consecutive games since over the last week, defeating Soap Lake 39-37 on Jan. 7, Liberty Christian 46-41 on Thursday and Easton 50-14 on Monday. The Lions are 2-1 in league games this winter, tied with Pateros for third place in the Central Washington B standings. 

Othello 

Boys (0-12) 

The Huskies fell in recent games against East Valley (Yakima) and Toppenish, and hosted Wenatchee on Tuesday night. The Huskies host Prosser on Friday at 7 p.m. 

Girls (3-9) 

After defeating Ephrata 45-32 on Jan. 3, where freshman Khloe Valdez scored 17 points in the win, the Huskies fell in recent games against Selah, Ellensburg, East Valley (Yakima) and Toppenish. Following Tuesday’s game against Wenatchee, Othello hosts Prosser on Friday at 5:30 p.m. 

Quincy 

Boys (6-8) 

After a 1-1 outing at the SunDome Shootout over the holiday break, where Quincy defeated Port Angeles 61-54 and lost 55-51 to North Kitsap, the Jacks have been 1-3 since the new year. Quincy lost back-to-back games against Ellensburg (63-52 on Jan. 3) and East Valley (Yakima) (89-86 on Jan. 4) before defeating Toppenish 69-67 on Jan. 8, a game highlighted by 43 points from junior Pierce Bierlink. The Jacks fell 84-52 to Prosser on Saturday and hosted Grandview on Tuesday, but scores were not available in time for press deadline.  

Girls (3-11) 

Since picking up back-to-back wins over Ephrata and Othello, defeating the Tigers 52-46 on Dec. 20 and the Huskies 34-26 on Dec. 21, the Jackrabbits have fallen in their last six outings, losing to Waterville-Mansfield, Chelan, Ellensburg, East Valley (Yakima), Toppenish and Prosser. The Jacks hosted Grandview on Tuesday night, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. Quincy hosts Selah on Friday at 5:30 p.m. 

Soap Lake 

Boys (3-6) 

The Eagles have won two of their last three games since returning from the holiday break, defeating Nespelem 76-36 on Jan. 4 and Entiat 55-46 on Friday while falling 59-33 to MLCA/CCS on Jan. 7. Soap Lake hosted Wilson Creek on Tuesday night and travels to Oroville on Saturday at 6 p.m. 

Girls (2-7) 

After defeating Nespelem 65-19 on Jan. 4 to earn their second win of the season, the Eagles fell to both MLCA/CCS and Entiat last week, losing 39-37 to the Lions and 35-31 to the Tigers. Following Tuesday’s game against Wilson Creek, the Eagles host Cascade Christian on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. 

Warden 

Boys (2-11) 

Both of Warden’s wins this winter have come in league play, having bested River View 63-43 on Dec. 20 and more recently Granger 55-48 on Friday. The Cougars are 2-3 in Eastern Washington Athletic Conference (East) games, one game back of Mabton for third place in the league. 

Girls (2-11) 

Similarly to the boys team, the Warden girls basketball team is also in fourth place in the EWAC (East) standings with a 2-3 mark in league games; the wins came over River View, 51-28 on Dec. 20, and Granger, 65-30 on Friday. Warden hosts River View on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and travels to Okanogan on Saturday at 6 p.m. 

Wahluke 

Boys (6-7) 

Following a 3-6 beginning to the season, Wahluke had won three of its last four games and stands one win shy of .500 ahead of Tuesday night’s game against Kiona-Benton. During that stretch, Wahluke had defeated River View 68-23 on Jan. 3, Connell 55-49 on Jan. 7 and College Place 79-64 on Jan. 11. 

Girls (0-13) 

The Warriors traveled to Kiona-Benton Tuesday night, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. Wahluke travels to Cashmere on Saturday for a 3:45 p.m. tipoff. 

Wilson Creek 

Boys (4-8) 

After defeating Pateros 69-45 on Jan. 2 and Columbia (Stevens) 62-40 to open the new year, the Devils fell to both Entiat (64-28 on Jan. 4) and Cascade Christian (51-49 on Thursday). Results from Tuesday’s game against Soap Lake were not available in time for press deadline, but the Devils return to the court Friday at home against Waterville-Mansfield. 

Girls (6-4) 

The Devils, 4-1 in league games this winter, stand in second place of the Central Washington B standings after recent wins over MLCA/CCS (34-24 on Dec. 28), Entiat (42-37 on Jan. 4) and Cascade Christian (28-17 on Thursday). Wilson Creek traveled to Soap Lake on Tuesday and hosts Waterville-Mansfield on Friday at 6 p.m. 

    Quincy junior Pierce Bierlink, in white, scored 43 points during a 69-67 win over Toppenish on Jan. 8.
  

    Soap Lake opened the new year with a 65-19 win over Nespelem on Jan. 4.
  

    Moses Lake remains tied with West Valley (Yakima) for second place in the Columbia Basin Big 9 standings this winter.