Bulldogs basketball takes on Asotin and LRS

COLFAX - In a pair of Northeast 2B matchups, the Colfax Bulldog boys and girls basketball teams played the Asotin Panthers and Lind-Ritzville-Sprague (LRS) Broncos last week.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, both the Colfax boys and girls defeated Asotin. The Bulldog girls won, 73-28, and the boys won, 73-38.

On Saturday, Jan. 11, the Colfax boys beat the Broncos, 67-42, and the Bulldog girls narrowly fell to the Broncos, 59-52.

Girls pounce

Panthers, bucked by Broncos

Colfax bounced back and got a dominating win against Asotin after a 60-17 loss against the Clarkston Bantams in the semifinals of the Avista Holiday Tournament on Friday, Jan. 3.

"Our response to getting beat by Clarkston started at practice and it continued into Tuesday and Wednesday where we pushed them," said Colfax coach Jordan Holmes. "Tonight was their reward for putting three practices together in response to getting their butts kicked. It was fun to see them finally have fun, work together, work hard and get the reward on the other end of it. It was a really good step in the right direction following a really tough loss last weekend."

The Bulldogs came out on fire to start the game with a 22-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter. By halftime Colfax held a 34-15 lead. The Bulldogs built a 53-22 lead to end the third quarter. With the Bulldogs scoring 20 in the fourth while holding the Panthers to six points, Colfax got the win.

Colfax was led by senior Brenna Gilchrist with 32 points, sinking 13 field goals and shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Gilchrist notched 11 rebounds, five steals and five assists in the game.

Senior Ava Swan contributed 17 points on seven field goals, shooting 3-for-5 from the charity stripe. Swan had eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block.

"We love our seniors," Holmes said. "They have been on a lot of different teams and they have experienced success in a lot of different ways. I'm really proud, but also that's who we are. We're as good as our leaders, and they are great leaders."

The Bulldogs went on to fall just short of LRS by seven points on Saturday.

Colfax led early, taking a 14-7 advantage to end the first quarter. However, the Broncos stormed the court in the second frame, scoring 26 points and holding the Bulldogs to nine.

Colfax attempted a comeback, gaining a few points back in each of the final two quarters, scoring 10 in the third and 19 in the fourth while the Broncos scored eight in the third and 18 in the fourth. The halftime deficit was too much and LRS came away with the win.

"This team is very coachable, I really appreciate that about them," Holmes said. "When I come to practice every day, I enjoy seeing them because I know I can push them and coach them. They're willing to say 'yes coach' and do what I ask. They are going to ask questions and the coachability of these kids has allowed us to grow alot in a short amount of time. These kids are selfless enough to grow and be asked to do different things and fill different roles and they're willing to do it."

The Bulldogs moved to 6-6 on the season, 2-2 in League play.

Bulldog boys

continue streak

After defeating Asotin and LRS, the Bulldogs have won six games in a row as they continue to dominate the basketball court.

Against the Panthers on Friday, the Bulldogs lept to a 25-9 lead to end the first quarter. By halftime, Colfax had a 40-17 advantage. The Bulldogs continued to increase its lead and by the end of the third quarter had a 59-28 sway in the game.

With the Bulldogs scoring 14 points in the final quarter and holding the Panthers to 10, Colfax got the Northeast 2B League win.

Junior Adrik Jenkin led the Bulldogs with 29 points, hitting seven 3-pointers from 11 attempts, four of them in the third quarter. Jenkin added five rebounds and a block.

Senior Jayce Kelly scored nine points and added nine points on four field goals and contributed six assists, six rebounds and a steal. Junior Dillon Thompson had eight points, six rebounds and a block with fellow junior Ledger Kelly scoring seven points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Junior Gunner Brown, sophomore Connor McAnally and sophomore Caleb Lustig each added six points for the Bulldogs.

The team shot 10-for-12 from the free-throw line for an 83.3 free-throw percentage.

Next for the Bulldogs was to take on fellow Northeast 2B foe Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos.

The Bulldogs cruised to a 23-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and held a 37-20 lead at halftime. Colfax increased its advantage in the third, scoring 18 points while holding LRS to 12. For the final quarter, the Bulldogs scored 12 points and the Broncos scored 10 to give Colfax the victory.

Jenkin led the Bulldogs with 19 points, shooting five field goals and hitting a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.

Lustig added 13 points on six field goals and a free throw. Ledger Kelly scored 11 points and Jayce Kelly scored 10.

Colfax shot 76.5 from the free-throw line, making 13-of-17.

The Bulldogs next faced the Upper Columbia Academy Lions in Northeast 2B League action on Tuesday, Jan. 14, after press time. Colfax will continue League play on Friday, Jan. 17, against the Liberty Lancers. The girls game will begin at 6 p.m. and the boys will follow at 7:30 p.m.