Boys split weekend non-league hoops tests

If ever there was a friendly rivalry, it’s the one shared by the La Conner and Lummi Nation boys’ basketball programs.

Cousins related through the Edwards family of Swinomish played key roles for both teams in the latest meeting of the non-conference foes, a 63-49 home win by Lummi on Dec. 7.

Lummi’s Dyson Edwards, who played middle school hoops at La Conner, led 1B Lummi with 22 points, including three perimeter treys in the second half. His cousin, Jerome Toby Jr., finished with 16 points, 12 coming before intermission.

Lummi, which earlier in the week had smashed 2A Sehome of Bellingham by 31 points, led La Conner 32-27 at the break. The Blackhawks closed with a 31-22 second-half run.

Brayden Pedroza (19), Tyler Cicotte (15) and Corran Eisen (14) scored in double digits for the Braves, whose offense was run by senior point guard C.J. Edwards.

Christian Fix rounded out La Conner’s scoring with a free throw in the second quarter.

La Conner (1-2) was coming off a convincing 67-45 home triumph over 1A Granite Falls on Dec. 6.

Eisen scored 19 points with three treys to lead La Conner. Pedroza (18), Cicotte (16), Jimbo Bobb (5), Fix (5), Edwards (3) and Brent Bobb (1) also scored. Cicotte delivered a pair of three-pointers while Pedroza, Fix and Edwards each hit a trey.

Hayden Gutierrez-Maywald led Granite Falls with a game-high 24 points, half coming from three-point range. Jaxx Goldsmith added 11 points for Granite Falls, which fell to 0-3 on the season.

The Braves set the tone early with a pressure defense, forcing repeated Granite Falls turnovers and holding the Tigers scoreless in the first four minutes. The Braves led by as many as 25 points in the second half.

La Conner played a non-league game Tuesday night at 1A Sultan. The boys return home for their NW2B/1B opener at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, with Friday Harbor, then Orcas Island visits at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17.