MOSES LAKE — The Lions of Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School join a jam-packed Basin schedule at Big Bend on Saturday as they look to cement a spot in the 1B Girls Hardwood Classic.

MLCA finished the season at 15-6, 11-1 in league play, claiming a district championship last Thursday over Pateros, 51-43. Head coach Josh Kast said he knew, coming into the season, they had a talented, albeit inexperienced, team.

“They put in the time the past two summers, which is great,” he said. “We knew we’d be competitive, in the top-two in the league, we didn’t know how it’d finish up. I thought the girls really progressed well over the course of the year, as far as growing as they went.”

A tough non-league schedule, Kast said, helped them become a better, stronger team heading into the postseason this weekend.

Stronger defenses that play more man-to-man has helped the Lions, with many teams in their own league playing primarily zone. “It’s made my girls have to become stronger and more physical themselves,” Kast said. “And, they’ve had to learn to play that type of defensive style they play against us.”

Defense and elite speed are two reasons Kast feels his team can be a formidable opponent moving forward.

“Defensively, the girls have to be able to get after it, and talk and communicate defensively against these better teams,” he said. “They’ve just all gotta be on the same page.”

Kast likes the versatility of his starting five this season. The MLCA coach said he has had the luxury this year if one girl is off, another is usually on.

“I talk a lot about, which piece of the puzzle are you for the team,” he said. “Each one of these kids has individual roles. A lot of this team this year has been one kid is down, other kids fill the gap.”

Senior Deana Gulenko is the “heart and soul” of this team inside the paint, Kast said. On the perimeter, the MLCA coach said there are an array of girls that get cooking from deep.

Having the chance to open the postseason in a virtual home game at Big Bend is “awesome,” Kast said.

“The atmosphere there is something that my kids at this level have not seen or been a part of,” he said. “They’ve watched a lot of basketball, but that haven’t been in that. I think having Warden and the Chiefs all there with us is going to be a great atmosphere for the Basin, not just for us, but for all three teams.”

Kast said he’s seen a little of their opponent in Taholah, mostly from earlier in the season. The MLCA head coach said he knows their opponent brings in more postseason experience than the Lions, but did lose two seniors from a strong team last season.

The Lions, Kast said, aren’t content with just making it to Saturday.

“It’s been our goal since day one of practice to win league, win district, then also go to state and bring home a trophy,” Kast said. “That’s the mindset that they have, and we have, as a team. We’re not gonna settle for just making the round of sixteen. We’ve got bigger goals than that moving forward.”

Tipoff for the Lions win-or-go-home matchup is at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Big Bend Community College.