MOSES LAKE — After placing sixth at last year’s state tournament, the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School boys’ basketball team is looking to improve on its placing in the 2022-2023 season.

“We’re going to set our sights on accomplishing what we did last year, but improving our results,” Head Coach Emerson Ferguson said. “Last year our goals were to be district champs, win our regional game and then place at state. We accomplished all of that, and this year we want to repeat that as well as improve on placing at state.”

The Lions won 23 games last season, clinching a league title and their first state appearance since 2012.

“The boys bought in,” Ferguson said. “They bought into the mentality and expectations that I set for them, which was we’re going to state and we’re coming home with hardware. On day one I told them ‘On March 3, we’re going to be holding up a trophy.’”

Ferguson jokingly added that he should have clarified which trophy to bring home.

“Unfortunately, I said ‘A trophy.’ I should have been more specific,” Ferguson joked. “I should have said the championship trophy, but we still accomplished that goal.”

A gritty, in-your-face defense is what helped the Lions finish 23-4 last season, along with the scoring acts of the now-graduated Pierre Boorman.

“We were holding opponents under 60 and scoring 65, almost 70 points per game,” Ferguson said. “Defensively, we were just in your face. We would take your best player and we would just lock him up – frustrate him and make him work really, really hard.”

With returning all-league players Jeff Boorman and Michael Podolyn, and fellow returning starter Jonah Robertson, Ferguson predicts the Lions will be a force to be reckoned with this season as well.

“We’re going to be strong defensively again,” he said. “We’re just going to be really up and down the court; we’re gonna be really hard to stop because we’re gonna confuse teams offensively, in your face.

Joining MLCA/CCS’s three returning starters, several other returning players are ready to step into larger roles.

“I returned three starters this year. I also returned another player who is a junior and he’s ready to step into that role,” Ferguson said. “I’ve got a strong freshman class coming up, and I’ve got guys who just have a year of experience. In my opinion, we’re looking as strong as we were last year, but more balanced.”

Open gyms and team camps were a common theme over the off-season, allowing players to bond as a unit, especially for younger players new to the program.

“It was more for the younger guys, getting a chance,” Ferguson said. “My older guys, that was nothing new in terms of competition and all that. We just got a chance to get out there; younger guys tasted the varsity level, speed, physicality, just the overall environment.”

As well as a tough defense, Ferguson said that a strong message he preaches to players is to be a family as a team.

“We knew that everything we were going to accomplish, good or bad, we were going to do together,” Ferguson said. “When you have that type of mentality, of family, you trust more.”

The Lions tip off their season on the road at Oakesdale on Dec. 1.

“My ultimate quote that I tell the guys is ‘Everything we do, we do together,’” Ferguson said. “The target’s on our back this year, but we’re ready for the challenge.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

MLCA/CCS Schedule

Dec. 1 - @ Oakesdale - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 - vs Mount Vernon Christian - 5 p.m.

Dec. 6 - vs Manson - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 - @ Soap Lake - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 - vs Wilbur-Creston-Keller - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 - vs Almira/Coulee-Hartline - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 - MLCA/CCS Christmas Tournament - TBD

Jan. 3 - @ Sunnyside Christian - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 - @ Entiat - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 12 - vs Cascade Christian - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 - @ Wilson Creek - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 - vs Waterville-Mansfield - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 - @ Pateros - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 27 - vs Soap Lake - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 - @ Riverside - 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 3 - vs Entiat - 7:30 p.m.