Mule boys top Kalama, lose to Cards in OT

The Wahkiakum Mules boys basketball team split games this week to bring their record to 2-3 in league, 9-6 overall.

The team traveled to Kalama last Wednesday and beat the Chinooks, 73-57.

"We got off to a hot start on the road scoring 24 points in the first quarter,” Coach Todd Souvenir said. “We moved the ball well and found the hot hand, which was Brodie Avalon, who hit three 3s and was four for five in the first quarter.”

Avalon finished the game with 20 points, followed by Jake Leitz, who put up 15 points and pulled down 15 boards. Logan LaBerge added 13 points and seven assists. K.C. Beery had 10 points. Brody Carlson scored seven points. Dominic Curl added five points, and Ashden Niemeyer finished the game with three.

Mules 24 17 16 16 --73

Kalama 11 12 18 16 --57

On Friday, the Mules traveled to Winlock and proved to be a handful for the Cardinals, who are 4-0 in league, 11-2 overall. After exploding with 21 points in the fourth quarter to tie up the game at 58, the Mules lost in overtime, 68-65.

“What a great game for us to learn and grow from,” Coach Souvenir said. “It’s hard after a loss like that, but the guys should be very proud of how well they played on both ends of the floor.”

“After falling behind by 11 at the end of three, the guys responded very well and clawed back to within three with 15 seconds left, when Jake (Leitz) found Brodie (Avalon) in the corner for a three that sent the game into overtime. Logan (LaBerge) hit a deep three to get us started in OT but after a couple great defensive possessions, Winlock’s Bryce Cline hit an off balance three at the end of the shot clock to give them the lead for good,” Souvenir said. “Games like that on the road in a playoff like atmosphere will help us when we get into post season play.”

Leitz had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Carlson added another 17 points. LaBerge added 11 points and nine assists. Beery scored nine points and had nine rebounds. Avalon had nine points and Niemeyer had two.

Mules 16 13 8 21 7 --65

Winlock 20 12 16 10 10 --68

The Mules hosted Adna on Wednesday, but the score was not available by press time. The team travels to Rainier on Friday and to Onalaska next Wednesday.