Disappointment has become opportunity for the La Conner Braves girls’ basketball team.
While the Braves suffered a heartbreaking 52-49 Senior Night home loss to Mount Vernon Christian in their regular season finale on Feb. 3, they start anew in post-season on Saturday with a favorable Bi-District Tournament draw at Landy James Gymnasium.
La Conner, 14-6 on the campaign, received the No. 2 seed in the six-team Bi-District field. On Valentine’s Day, La Conner will host the winner of Thursday’s Auburn Adventist-Orcas Island matchup at Orcas.
The Braves’ Feb. 14 tipoff time won’t be set until the opening round victor is determined as ferry schedules come into play should Orcas win.
Mount Vernon Christian, meanwhile, earned the top Bi-District seed by sweeping its two-game season series with the Braves. La Conner fell 50-31 at Mount Vernon Christian on Jan. 16.
With its No. 1 seed in hand, Mount Vernon Christian is scheduled at home on Saturday opposite tonight’s winner between Coupeville and Friday Harbor at Friday Harbor.
Three teams will advance to state from the double-elimination girls’ Bi-District bracket. The tourney runs through Feb. 19.
La Conner is looking to rebound at Bi-District from its recent three-point setback to Mount Vernon Christian, a contest that saw a potential game-tying trey by the Braves’ Maeve McCormick blocked with no foul called in the waning seconds.
La Conner could take a measure of solace, however, in the knowledge that McCormick, a senior guard who netted a game-high 20 points, reached the 1,000-point career scoring mark against Mount Vernon Christian.
McCormick’s night featured a pair of three-pointers, and she was perfect on four free-throw attempts.
Freshman Faith Jenkins added 18 points for the Braves, 10 in the first half.
Nora McCormick (8), Sophia Edwards (2), and Mia Delage (1) rounded out the La Conner attack.
Grace Mounts (14), Kenzie Kingshott (12) and Anika Brunk (11) scored in double figures for Mount Vernon Christian, which enters Bi-District with a 17-2 win-loss record, and was unbeaten in 10 NW2B/1B League tests.
On the boys’ side of Bi-District play, La Conner is the seventh seed in a seven-team double-elimination format and visits No. 2 Mount Vernon Christian at 7 p.m. Thursday in an opening round tilt.
Win or lose, each team will play again on Feb. 14, paired with Summit Atlas School or Orcas Island depending on first round results.
The seven Bi-District boys’ teams, led by No. 1 Auburn Adventist, are vying for two state tourney bids.
The La Conner boys face a tough road ahead. In Mount Vernon Christian, they face a tall and talented powerhouse club that defeated the Braves 82-30 at home on Feb. 3. The visitors were paced by 6-5 senior forward Jake Feddema, who scored a game-high 23 points, all before halftime.
The Braves, with no starter taller than 5-10, had trouble keeping Mount Vernon Christian off the boards. In addition to Feddema, Mount Vernon Christian ran out a front line that included 6-4 senior forward Owen Carlson and 6-2 junior wing Zane Dahlberg. Sean Russell, a 6-4 senior forward, and Josh Feddema, a 6-2 freshman wing, came off the bench for a deep Mount Vernon Christian roster that saw 11 players reach the scoring column.
Josh Feddema, in his reserve role, reached double digits with 13 points and drained two of Mount Vernon Christian’s seven three-pointers.
La Conner was led by 5-7 sophomore guard Keaton Bailey, who finished with 11 points, most coming on floaters in the paint.
Junior guard Kaleb Otis added eight points for the Braves, including two three-pointers. Seniors Kamien Lopez (3), Chas James (3), Brent Bobb (3), and Hadden Zimmerman (2) also joined the Braves point parade.
The boys’ Bi-District competition is scheduled Feb. 12-21. Higher seeded teams will host throughout, meaning La Conner — as the seventh and lowest seed — will play its Bi-District games away from home.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
