La Conner basketball teams swamp South Whidbey

In recent months La Conner has leaned heavily on Langley as a model for community livability issues, from tiny homes and affordable housing to parking.

Last Friday it was La Conner's turn to school Langley – on the basketball court.

The high school girls' team drubbed South Whidbey 73-34 that afternoon at Landy James Gym while at the same time the high school boys routed the 1A Falcons 60-23 in Langley.

"It was a good game on the road while on the holiday break," first-year Braves coach Lance Lopez said of his club's triumph, which saw four La Conner players score in double figures.

Brayden Pedroza continued his torrid scoring pace of late, leading the victors with 17 points.

Ivory Damien, Corran Eisen and Tyler Cicotte finished with 13 points apiece for La Conner. Logan Burks and Jarrett Hatch added two points each as the Braves improved their season ledger to 5-3 going into the Hoop on the Hill Holiday Tournament in Seattle this Friday.

"We played hard and got some good scoring," Lopez said of the balanced attack at Langley.

Boys beat Neah Bay

It had been a similar recipe that fueled a 70-66 La Conner home win over 1B power Neah Bay earlier in the week.

The Braves closed with a 28-15 run to erase a nine-point deficit early in the fourth quarter. Damien (9), Pedroza (6), Eisen (6), Burks (3), Cicotte (2) and C.J. Edwards (2) landed in the scoring column during the decisive frame.

"It was a quality win for us against a very good Neah Bay team, especially after having been down in the second half," Lopez told the Weekly News afterward. "We were able to hustle and fight back to come out on top."

Girls whip Whidbey

The Lady Braves, meanwhile, led from wire-to-wire Friday in their return home after dropping a non-conference test at 2A Squalicum on Wednesday.

Maeve McCormick (15), Shaniquah Casey (14), Kim Williams (12) and Nora McCormick (11) each scored in double digits to lead nine players on the point parade. Izzy Villard (7), Jackie Lam (4), Reese Bird (4), Kiana Jenkins (4) and Dela Souryavong (2) rounded out an attack that capitalized on getting turnovers throughout the game.

The team's half-court offense was also effective as Jenkins and Lam were solid in the paint and Williams and Villard each drained a perimeter trey. The Lady Braves shot 51 per cent (34 of 67) from the floor and converted two of three free throws.

The hosts set the tone early, bolting to a 19-7 first quarter lead. The edge expanded to 40-19 at intermission.

The lead was 30-points (58-28) to start the final stanza, when a running clock was employed.

La Conner recorded 23 steals, six by Maeve McCormick and five each from Casey and Nora McCormick.

"You just never know with such a young team," said coach Joe Harper, who started three eighth graders (Jenkins, Williams and Nora McCormick). "It was a great bounce back effort for us after that tough (52-21) loss at Squalicum. The great thing is everyone got playing time and contributed to the win."

South Whidbey was led by southpaw sharpshooter Jane Haines, who scored a game-high 19 points, including five three-pointers.

No other South Whidbey player scored in double figures.

La Conner improved to 6-3 overall. The team is idle until Jan. 5 at NW2B/1B rival Concrete, a game that coincides with festivities marking the '70-plus'-year anniversary of their historic gymnasium, which opened in 1952.