WRHS GIRLS BASKETBALL: Team takes league lead into season’s second half

The White River High girls finished the first half of South Puget Sound League 3A play in first place, sporting a league mark of 7-1 and an overall record of 10-1.

The White River High girls finished the first half of South Puget Sound League 3A play in first place, sporting a league mark of 7-1 and an overall record of 10-1.

“I like where we’re at,” Hornet coach Chris Gibson said. “We’re playing well right now.”

His team’s primary goal has been capturing the SPSL 3A championship and that’s the path the Hornets are current following. The only glitch thus far was a two-point loss to Lakes High.

Specifically, Gibson likes the way his crew is playing early in games, grabbing a quick lead. As is usually the case with the Hornets, the offense is a result of a tenacious defense.

His troops have also been rebounding well, Gibson said, especially on the offensive end.

The Hornets’ formula for success is being tested this week, as White River will play four games in a span of six days.

The ordeal started Monday when White River traveled to Seattle to play in the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Classic. Opposing the Hornets was Kentwood, the defending Class 4A state champion.

Gibson believes the test will only make his team better. As for the hectic schedule, he’s quick to remind that teams play every day in the state tournament and that’s always the goal for a Gibson-coached club.

Tuesday, the Hornets hosted a Peninsula High team that finished the first half of the league season 3-5. Friday, the Hornets travel to face the winless Clover Park Warriors and, in a rare Saturday game, White River hosts the 5-3 Auburn Mountainview Lions.