In the wake of its first loss in league play, a 46-35 defeat Tuesday at home by La Conner, the Friday Harbor girls basketball team will look to get back on the winning track, Friday, at Concrete.

The Wolverines (6-1, 8-4) dealt the Lions a 49-36 defeat when the Northwest 1A/2B League rivals met Dec. 6 in Friday Harbor, the first of their two-game regular-season series.

At home Tuesday, points proved hard to come for the Wolverines, who found little room to work inside against a stingy La Conner defensive squad. The Braves (6-1 league, 8-4 overall) grabbed an early advantage, led 24-12 at the half, and kept Friday Harbor at arms length after the break to claim the upper hand in the race for the league title.

Sophomores Kelley McClung, 15, and Katie McKnight, 14, and senior Priscilla Ponce-Venegas, 10, together tallied 39 of the Braves 46 points.

Friday Harbor senior Liz Taylor knocked down two free-throw attempts to trim the deficit to 38-30 with four minutes left in regulation. That’s as close as the Wolverines would get.

Taylor, whistled with her fifth foul with 90 second left in regulation, scored nine points and point-guard Mandy Turnbull tossed in 12 to pace the Wolverines. Senior Larissa Nash popped in eight points before going to the bench with foul No. 5 midway through the final period.

The Braves, who knocked down 18-of-32 free-throw attempts, shot nearly twice as many free throws as Friday Harbor, who hit on 9-of-17 attempts. The two teams meet Feb. 3 at La Conner, in the final game of the regular-season.

Next

The Wolverines tip off against Concrete on the road, Friday, at 3:30 p.m., and face regional 1A rival Lynden Christian on the road, Saturday, at 3:15 p.m. They host Orcas Tuesday; tip off is 4 p.m. in Turnbull Gym.