Yellow Pages
LA CONNER — The La Conner boys’ basketball team started off slowly Thursday night against Seattle Lutheran in the first round of the Tri-District 2B Tournament.
Then Kyle McKnight came off the bench and helped give the Braves the kick-start they needed.
McKnight scored 13 points to tie teammate Erik Lindeman for the game high, Jeremy Vander lei scored 11 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and the Braves overcame a slow first quarter on their way to a 56-40 win over the Saints.
The win sends La Conner to a second-round game at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Chief Leschi High School in Puyallup. A victory in that game would secure a berth in the Class 2B state tournament.
That shot at a state berth seemed far away from a sure thing early Thursday as the Braves fell behind early to the Saints and struggled to convert field goals, shooting 2-of-11 from the field in the first quarter.
The Braves stayed close, though, by making shots at the foul line, shooting 4-of-5 in the first quarter, then 8-of-8 in the second.
After taking the lead, they never relinquished it.
“We stayed calm and handled the pressure well,” McKnight said.
McKnight, a sophomore, came off the bench early and scored seven of the Braves’ 25 first-half points, going 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.
“Kyle had a great game. It’s nice to bring someone like that off the bench,” La Conner coach Scott Novak said.
Novak said the Braves initially were going to use a man-to-man defense on the Saints (11-10 overall), but decided shortly before the game to try a zone.
Lindeman hit three 3-pointers for the Braves, including a crucial pair in the third quarter; Vander lei added three assists and two blocks.
Novak said everyone who took to the court for the Braves (13-6) played well.
“The whole team played with a lot of heart,” he said.
Ryan Morgan led Seattle Lutheran with 11 points. Fred Lisko, Beau Severson and Brian Simmons each added seven, with Lisko adding seven rebounds.
Girls’ Basketball
La Conner Braves 43
King’s West Warriors 29
LA CONNER — The Braves clamped down on defense to win their first-round game in the Tri-District 2B Tournament.
The Braves held King’s West to eight points in the first half and barely allowed a score in the second quarter, with the Warriors scoring only when forward Carlie Rouse hit a jumper with eight seconds left.
Kelsey Kennedy hit two 3-pointers on her way to 14 points, Julie Hulbert added 10 and Megan Raymond scored nine points, pulled down six rebounds and blocked three shots to help the Northwest 2B/1A League champions to the first-round win.
The Braves are scheduled to play Seattle Lutheran at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday at Chief Leschi High School. Seattle Lutheran beat Mount Vernon Christian 30-26 to advance to play the Braves.
La Conner coach Scott Novak said the Braves (16-3) played well defensively, especially to slow down the Warriors’ 6-foot-1 post, Breyenne Mosey.
Mosey, a sophomore, scored nine points, but was relatively quiet for the first three quarters, shooting 2-of-7 from the field.
“We knew what we had to do — shut down Mosey, their big post,” Raymond said.
Novak said Lauren McClung played well defensively against Mosey, and guard Candice Pedroza played well against the Warriors’ speedy point guard, Irene Moore.
Moore led the Warriors with 12 points, but had only two in the first half.
La Conner jumped to a 26-8 advantage by halftime.
“We emphasized coming out strong,” Kennedy said.
• Trevor Pyle can be reached at 360-416-2156 or by e-mail at
