Broncos take second

RITZVILLE – The Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos took second place in the NE 2B League Basketball Championship when they fell to the Liberty Lancers 46-77, at home Saturday, June 19.

"We just couldn't shut them down," Head Coach Steve Wellsandt said of the Lancers. "They shot 58% from the 3-point line. We were just under 40% for 3-pointers, but on 2-point field goals we were just under 30%. So it was not a good shooting night inside the paint."

Dakota Killian led in scoring for the Broncos with 15 points, followed by Janaye Wilkie with 11. Grace Fedie had 9, Julia Klein 6, and Sydney Kinch 5.

Wellsandt said the Lancers were shooting 3-pointers from two to three feet outside the 3-point line.

"We weren't in that bad a position for where they were on the floor," Wellsandt said. "When we played them up there, 10 days ago, they only made three 3-point shots."

The Broncos won that game, 51-34.

"The girls just came out on fire tonight," Liberty Head Coach Chris Colvin said. His daughter Teagan Colvin, a freshman, led the team in scoring with 31 points. Ellie Denny, a sophomore, had 20 points.

"We tried changing defenses, and tried shutting them down different ways, but just couldn't get them stopped," Wellsandt said.

"We were excited to have the opportunity to play a district championship game, even in this kind of crazy COVID season," Colvin said. "It was nice that LRS put this on, and allowed them to have a sense of normalcy in this season. It was a great championship environment, and they got to cut down the net at the end, so it was an awesome experience."

This is Colvin's fourth season coaching the Lancers.

Earlier in the week, the Broncos beat Kettle Falls 60-44.

"It was a good game," Wellsandt said. "We had nice, balanced scoring between all the girls."

Killian led with 14 points, followed by Klein with 12. Wilkie and Kinch had 10 each. Fedie put in 8 and Court contributed 6.

"I felt Julia Klein had one of her best games of the season," Wellsandt said. "Janaye went 8 for 9 from the free-throw line, and was 7 for 8 in the fourth quarter. We lost up there by two, and didn't play very well, so this was a good game for us."

Wellsandt is in his 15th year coaching basketball at the high school level, assisted by Shannon Court this year.

"Shannon Court has been a really good assistant this year," Wellsandt said. "She coached C-Squad last year."

Wellsandt went on to thank the senior players.

"Julia has been our offensive rebounder, and this is her fourth year here playing varsity basketball. She has really been a consistent, hard-working kid," Wellsandt said. "Janaye Wilkie has been here the last two years, and led in assists for the last two years. She did a great job playing the point guard position this year. Our other two seniors, Jordyn Fodie and Ashlynn Norton, didn't get a lot of varsity time, but helped the JV team have a successful season."

Wellsandt said looking into next year, he has a core group of four varsity players who will be seniors next year.

"Taylor Galbreath will be a junior, and coming off an injury. She will be a real factor next year," Wellsandt said. "We just need to find some depth off our JV kids, and get them to play at the varsity level next year, and we'll still be pretty good."