PRIEST RIVER — After having last Monday’s home game against Immaculate Conception Academy canceled, the Priest River boys basketball team had to wait all the way until Friday to get back on the court after the long Christmas break, and the rust showed.

The Spartans went scoreless in the first quarter against Newport and by the time the halftime whistle blew they were down 25-6.

“It has been four weeks since we last played a game and it definitely showed in the first half,” head coach Kevin Wylie wrote in a text. “We struggled early on to find an offensive rhythm. We just couldn’t knock down shots in the first half. I thought our defense did a pretty good job of defending but when you’re not knocking down shots, it’s hard to stay in a game.”

Priest River had a strong showing in the second half but by then the game was already out of reach as they fell 57-33 to the Grizzlies.

Seniors Jayden Hahn and Jantzen Lucas led the team scoring 8 points each while sophomore Trentyn Kreager added 6.

This is the second time the Spartans have been defeated by Newport this season, losing to them 55-50 on Dec. 13.

Wylie knows his team can’t afford to start a game so poorly and expect to win.

“We need to be more prepared to play and not put ourselves in situations where we have to play from behind,” Wylie wrote.

Priest River (2-4) hosts Post Falls JV 6 p.m. tonight.