Basketball Game Preview: Kalama Chinooks vs. La Center Wildcats

The Kalama Chinooks are taking a road trip to take on the La Center Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Kalama is headed into the match having just suffered their biggest defeat since January 31, 2024 on Thursday. They were outmatched by Seton Catholic and fell 83-47. The Chinooks have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Despite their loss, Kalama saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Aubrey Doerty, who almost dropped a double-double on 18 points and nine boards, was perhaps the best of all. The contest was Doerty's third in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Hannah Johnson, who posted 15 points in addition to seven rebounds and three steals.

Even though they lost, Kalama smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in eight consecutive games.

Meanwhile, La Center was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. The matchup between them and King's Way Christian didn't end well, with La Center falling 40-23. While losing is never fun, the Wildcats can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Washington basketball rankings (they are ranked 279th, while the Knights are ranked 127th).

La Center's loss dropped their record down to 6-12. As for Kalama, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-8.

Kalama took their victory against La Center in their previous matchup back in January by a conclusive 56-36. The rematch might be a little tougher for Kalama since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.