COULEE CITY – A blended roster of returning experience and younger talented players has helped the Almira/Coulee-Hartline boys basketball team get off to a winning start this season, as the team bears a 7-1 record through the first month of the 2024-25 season. 

“It’s a good mix of young and old – a good mix of experience coming in,” Head Coach Graham Grindy said. “Depth is definitely something that we are fortunate to have.” 

ACH opened the season with three consecutive wins, taking down Kettle Falls 60-43 on Dec. 7 and Oakesdale 64-47 on Dec. 10, both of which were at home, before travelling to Tonasket on Dec. 13 and earning a 61-50 win. 

“It was a great start for us, considering that most of our guys were coming off football,” Grindy said. “We had five practices and then a game with everybody there. I think what helped was having some guys -- Josh Booker, Max (Grindy) and Nolan (Grindy) -- who were starters, they weren’t playing football. They practiced for a couple of weeks and were in pretty good shape to start with, so it allowed the other guys to get their legs.” 

Grindy also gave credit to the Warrior players who made the quick shift from football to basketball season; six of the 10 players on the roster also played football in the fall, a season that lasted until Nov. 30 – a week before the first game of the basketball season. 

“They took those five practices and hit the court running,” he said. “They really shined, and I think a lot of that is them having experience under their belt.” 

The Warriors suffered their first and only loss to date Dec. 14, falling 79-69 to Wellpinit, the two-time defending 1B state champion.  

“We got off to a really rough start in the first half,” Grindy said. “Wellpinit’s a good team, they really thrive off of dribble penetration. When they get that dribble-drive going, and you have to help, they have the shooters on the perimeter. We were basically playing catch-up the whole game.” 

Since the loss to Wellpinit, ACH has picked up wins over Wilbur-Creston-Keller, Valley Christian, Odessa and Lind-Ritzville/Sprague -- all by 26-plus points. The Warriors defeated the Wildcats 58-31 on Dec. 17, the Panthers 72-39 on Dec. 20, the Tigers 84-34 on Dec. 21 and the Broncos 75-49 on Saturday. 

“We learned that we need to tighten up as far as our preparation,” Grindy said. “Preparation at practice is big; taking every practice seriously and making it meaningful, so you’re not just going through the motions ... that was a good lesson to learn, that we have to be on top of our game all the time.” 

Half-court defense was a key in the win over LRS according to Grindy, and something that has been a standout point so far this season. 

“What worked for us in that game in particular was just buckling down in the half court defensively and trying to talk through their motion offense,” Grindy said. “I think communication-wise defensively, this team this year could be one of the better ones I’ve had in a long time as far as talking, communicating and taking pride in every defensive possession.” 

After Friday’s non-league game against Liberty Bell, the Warriors return to their league schedule with a road game against Odessa on Tuesday. 

“It’s one game at a time; we definitely want to take care of all league wins at home,” Grindy said. “Travelling’s huge; I think the mentality there is to not underestimate or overestimate. Just prepare, trust your preparation, trust your teammates and go into each game feeling confident.” 

Tip-off between the Mountain Lions and Warriors is at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Coulee City. 

    ACH junior Brady Roberts, left, rises to attempt and corral the opening tip-off of last year’s game against Lind-Ritzville/Sprague.
  

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline junior Caden Correia, in white, looks for a teammate to pass the ball to during a game against Lind-Ritzville/Sprague last season.