Just 7 players? No problem for Kennewick High’s girls basketball

When it comes to basketball, most coaches agree that while their players have to score points to beat teams, the defense wins championships.

With the Mid-Columbia Conference basketball season reaching the halfway point after Saturday night’s games, Kennewick girls coach Daron Santo is ecstatic with his team.

“I’m very happy with the way we’re playing, especially the way we played last weekend,” said Santo.

The Lions beat host Chiawana 52-51 on Friday night to hand the Riverhawks their first MCC loss.

Madeline Gebers led Kennewick with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while University of Hawaii-bound MeiLani McBee added 11 points and 11 rebounds to counteract Talia von Oelhoffen’s 29 points and 15 boards.

That win was big, because it gives Kennewick a share of the MCC lead with Chiawana. Both teams are 7-1 in MCC play.

But then Santo’s squad had to avoid the inevitable letdown that comes with such an emotional win, and concentrate on beating a good visiting Walla Walla team on Saturday night.

The Lions did that, winning 59-52, as McBee had 16 points and Avery Fiander added 14 to offset Rian Clear’s 16 points.

“The girls were prepared for a grinding battle on Saturday,” said Santo. “They had very little left in their legs Saturday. And we did it this weekend with just seven players. That’s even more amazing.”

Kennewick has spent much of the season without 6-foot-2 sophomore post Alexes Stein.

“She separated her shoulder in the second game of the season and has been out since,” said Santo. “She has another doctor’s appointment soon, and that’ll determine if she comes back. There’s a possibility she’s out for the season. Or she could make it back some time in the postseason.”

In addition, senior guard Kelsey Flores had a cousin who passed away last week, and she was gone for the weekend games to attend the funeral.

The Lions — 10-1 overall and ranked No. 3 in the latest state RPI rankings for Class 3A girls — have the best balanced scoring attack in the MCC with four players averaging in double-figure scoring.

McBee leads the team at 15.2 points a game, followed by Aislin Fiander at 12.5, Gebers at 11.7, and Avery Fiander at 10.3.

But even with just seven players available, the Lions have learned that defense can take a team a long ways.

“We are second in the conference in points surrendered. We’re right around 50 a game,” said Santo.

And the Lions don’t really lose composure, even when they dig themselves a hole at the beginning.

“We have a good corps of seniors who started here as freshmen and sophomores when I got here,” said Santo. “They’ve learned when they get down to not panic.”

Only Richland got the best of them in the first half, beating Kennewick 54-50.

▪ Saturday night’s contests marked the end of the first half of the Mid-Columbia Conference basketball season.

Other MCC girls games Friday

Iliana Moran and Olivia Davis combined for 45 points to lead Hanford over Southridge 65-33.

A’niyah Heavens scored 15 points as Pasco held off Kamiakin 58-48; while Rian Clear’s 22 helped host Wa-Hi beat Hermiston 55-42.

Saturday’s girls scores:

Talia von Oelhoffen’s 30 points helped Chiawana bounce back with a 69-40 win at Southridge.

Jazlyn Romero scored 16 points as Hermiston stopped Kamiakin 76-50.

Taija Mackey scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had 4 blocked shots to lead Pasco in a 62-28 rout of Richland. The Bulldogs forced 25 turnovers and outscored the Bombers 29-2 in points off of turnovers.

Friday’s MCC boys basketball games

Jayden Martinez scored a game-high 27 points to help the host Chiawana Riverhawks hold off Kennewick 84-70 in a key contest. Ayoni Benavidez led the Lions with 19 points.

Kyson Rose’s 27 points led host Kamiakin to an easy 70-34 win over Pasco; while Tristan Smith surpassed the 1,000-point career mark to help his visiting Southridge Suns beat Hanford 62-53.

And Michael Cornia had 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Dylan Ashbeck added 18 points, as host Walla Walla beat Hermiston 86-49.

Saturday’s games

Landyn Cantu, who had 21 points, was one of five Chiawana players in double-figure scoring, as the visiting Riverhawks beat Southridge 90-68. Cooper DeWitt and Connor Mendez added 17 points each for the Riverhawks; Tristan Smith had 28 points and 13 rebounds for the Suns.

Kamiakin maintained pace in the standings with a 78-29 rout at Hermiston.

William McClelland had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrew Albrecht added 16 points and 10 boards, as Richland beat Pasco 57-48. Ethan Legard paced the Bulldogs with 19 points.

Dylan Ashbeck scored 22 points and Michael Cornia added 21, as visiting Walla Walla beat Kennewick 79-59. Ayoni Benavidez led Kennewick with 27 points.

▪ Benavidez is just 7 points away from 1,000 career points, and he should get that on Tuesday when Kennewick plays Hermiston.

WIAA RPI rankings

Here is a look at the latest RPI rankings around the state:

4A boys: Union is ranked atop the poll, while Chiawana is No. 6 and Walla Walla is ninth.

4A girls: No. 1 is Woodinville, while Chiawana gets a No. 6 ranking.

3A boys: Wilson of Tacoma sits atop the rankings, while Kamiakin cracks the top 10 at No. 9.

3A girls: Bethel is the top girls team, and Kennewick is ranked third.

2A boys: Burlington-Edison is the No. 1 team. Prosser is the top area team, ranked No. 21.

2A girls: Lynden is No. 1, while No. 21 Grandview is the top regional team.

1A boys: Seattle Academy gets the nod as No. 1, but River View – which has a 12-0 record – is No. 4 in the state.

1A girls: Cashmere is the choice at No. 1, but Warden is No. 2, and Connell sits at No. 6.

2B boys: Lake Roosevelt gets the call at No. 1, while Tri-Cities Prep is the top area team at No. 15.

2B girls: The top team is LaConner, but Columbia-Burbank is ranked No. 7, and Mabton sits at No. 10.

1B boys: Odessa is the No. 1 team in the state, while Sunnyside Christian at No. 20 is the top Mid-Columbia squad.

1B girls: Pomeroy is No. 1 in girls, while Sunnyside Christian is ranked ninth.

MCC boys basketball standings

Through Jan. 11

Chiawana 8-0 MCC/12-0 overall

Kamiakin 6-2/10-2

Walla Walla 6-2/10-2

Richland 5-3/8-4

Kennewick 5-3/7-4

Southridge 3-5/4-8

Hanford 1-7/2-9

Hermiston 1-7/2-10

Pasco 1-7/2-10

MCC girls basketball standings

Through Jan. 11

Kennewick 7-1 MCC/10-1 overall

Chiawana 7-1/10-2

Pasco 6-2/9-2

Richland 5-3/6-6

Walla Walla 4-4/8-4

Hermiston 4-4/7-5

Hanford 2-6/3-8

Kamiakin 1-7/2-10

Southridge 0-8/3-9