Boys’ Braves hoop team wins two at season’s start

Home is where the heart is.

And, for the La Conner High School boys’ basketball team, it’s also where the wins are.

At least that was the case through the opening weekend of the Braves’ 2021-22 hoop campaign as La Conner defeated SeaTac 2B foes Seattle Lutheran and Concordia Christian Academy in non-league games at Landy James Gym.

La Conner (2-1) routed Seattle Lutheran 59-13 on Friday and downed Concordia 46-32 Saturday afternoon.

In so doing, the Braves rebounded nicely from a 43-22 setback at SeaTac 2B leader Northwest Yeshiva in their Dec. 1 season opener.

First-year head coach C.J. Woods was able to employ his entire roster before the supportive early season home crowds.

“Every player got lots of minutes and we executed well,” Woods told the Weekly News after his team’s beatdown of Seattle Lutheran, a private school program that despite Friday’s final score enjoys a rich hoops tradition.

Seven Braves players landed in the scoring column, led by Isaiah Price and Miles Sydzik, who combined for 45 points.

Price led all scorers – nearly doubling Seattle Lutheran’s total output – with 25 points. The junior hit nine shots from the floor, two beyond the trey arc.

Sydzik, a senior, delivered four three-pointers to highlight his 20-point effort.

Ivory Damien (5), Cameron Burks (3), Josh Denton (2), Isa Gonzales (2) and Haydin Dinuis (2) rounded out the La Conner attack.

The Braves set the tone from the outset, bursting to a 16-2 lead in the first quarter. La Conner increased the margin to 30-6 at the break.

Things didn’t get better in the second half for Seattle Lutheran.

The Braves went on a 17-1 tear in the third frame as Sydzik drained three treys and Price tallied eight points for the victors.

Concordia Christian Academy, of Tacoma, hung with the Braves a bit longer.

La Conner held a 32-22 lead through three quarters. The hosts clinched matters with a 14-10 spurt in the final stanza behind three-pointers from Price and Ivory Damien, a pair of buckets by Sydzik and a Burks hoop.

Sydzik finished with a team-high 18 points. Price chipped in 12 and Damien added nine more for the home team. Denton (4), Burks (2) and Gonzales (1) joined the Braves point parade.

Concordia’s Jackson Young led all scorers with 21 points, eight of those coming in the fourth quarter.

Woods praised his team for continuing to build upon an early 14-7 edge, often by making the extra pass to set up open shooters.

“We were able to make some really good adjustments,” he said. “The boys played as a whole and that has been fun to see early on. We were able to get everyone in the game again, and they all contributed. It shows a lot about the depth of this team.”

La Conner, which opened NW2B play Tuesday at Concrete, will have that depth tested with a busy schedule in the week ahead.

The Braves are set to host Mount Vernon Christian on Friday and Puget Sound Adventist Academy Saturday night.

Junior varsity action with MVC is set for 4:30 p.m. The varsity game tips off at 7:30 p.m.

The La Conner and Puget Sound Adventist junior varsity teams play Dec. 11 at 6 p.m., with the varsity contest to immediately follow. In PSA, La Conner will face its fourth SeaTac 2B opponent this month.

The Braves welcome league rival Friday Harbor – Woods’ high school alma mater – on Feb. 13 with game times not yet set. La Conner resumes its conference schedule Dec. 14 at Darrington at 3 p.m. (junior varsity) and 7:30 p.m. (varsity).