LRS Junior High basketball teams finish undefeated

RITZVILLE – Both the 7th and 8th grade Lind-Ritzville-Sprague boys basketball teams went undefeated this season.

The teams, comprised of one 7th grader on the varsity team and a few 8th graders on the junior varsity team, are coached by Dale Anderson and Alan Field.

“Both teams went undefeated, which was really cool,” said Anderson, who coaches the varsity team. “It's a pretty athletic team. Defensively is what I was really pleased with. The most points scored against us in one game was 27. We kept them under 30 points.”

Their season, comprised of six games, began June 2 and ended June 15 with a final, 45-25 win against Asotin.

The boys' teams also beat Davenport, Almira/Coulee/Hartline, Northwest Christian; and Odessa twice.

“We've got several kids that are going to be ready to play high school basketball next year,” Anderson said. “They will be doing some summer league, and Coach (Dustan) Arlt will be happy to get those kids.”

This was Anderson's sixth season coaching, with Field in his second year assisting Anderson.

“Alan did a really good job, but he will be starting a new teaching job in Tonasket in the fall,” Anderson said. “It's kind of the nature of the beast. I had three assistant coaches for two years apiece. This group of kids was really good, we had three that played varsity last year.”

Anderson said he coached them earlier in the year during football season.

“All of our varsity players were on the football team, and they went undefeated in football, too,” Anderson said. “They really are good kids, very coachable kids.”

“They all played well together, and got along with each other,” Field said. “They played hard all the time. What more could you ask for, as a coach? It was a total team effort, and we got it done.”

Field said it was a “great year,” even though the short seasons went by so fast.

“I was thankful I got to work with most of those kids in AAU basketball, down at the hangar with Coach Gary Kelly,” Field said.