The Lapwai boys basketball team has been consistent the past two years, to say the least.

The Wildcats rolled to a second consecutive Avista Holiday Tournament title Thursday, notching a 68-45 victory against Shadle Park of Spokane at the P1FCU Activity Center on the campus of Lewis-Clark State College, posting their 44th consecutive victory.

“This is something that we work for,” Lapwai coach Zachary Eastman said. “Winning the Avista Tournament is always a goal, and now this will just carry the momentum to the state tournament.”

Here’s what we learned:

Slow start

Lapwai junior Kase Wynott hit a 3-pointer in the game’s first seven seconds, making it look like the Highlanders were in for a long night.

But it wasn’t the case as Shadle Park scored the next four points to take the lead.

Wynott hit a pair of free throws at the 5:45 mark to give the Wildcats the lead back. Ronan Redd followed with a fadeaway jumper to put the Highlanders back in front.

The two teams traded leads twice more before two Terrell Ellenwood-Jones free throws put Lapwai up for good at 12-10 with less than three minutes to go in the first quarter.

Three games in three days might have caught up a little bit to the Wildcats (8-0).

“We didn’t have the greatest warm-up. The energy level wasn’t the same,” Eastman said. “We told them after the first quarter that we had to start picking things up and they responded pretty well.”

Fast finish

The Wildcats’ slow start can be chalked up to mostly defensive play.

Lapwai’s normal press-and-trap style took a back seat to more of a zone approach, a decision Eastman made before the game because of the Wildcats’ pregame sluggishness.

Eastman decided to go back to what has brought Lapwai to the dance, at least defensively.

It definitely slowed Shadle Park (3-4) down.

Carson Eickstadt hit a layup to bring the Highlanders within 22-17 just 2:30 into the second. But Lapwai then went on an 8-0 run to take a 30-17 lead, with all of the points coming from Ellenwood-Jones and Wynott.

“Those are our leaders,” Eastman said. “They show up every day in practice and earn it. In moments like that, I expect those kids to step up.”

Stars of the tournament

Ellenwood-Jones was named to the all-tournament team and Wynott was the MVP for the second year in a row.

Ellenwood-Jones finished with 14 points and five assists against Shadle Park. He averaged 13 points and five assists in the three-game tournament.

“One thing that I think is special about (Ellenwood-Jones) is that he can pass with his left and his right hand,” Eastman said. “That opens up a lot for passing-wise and he’s so talented with the way he gets the ball out.”

Wynott notched his third consecutive double-double with 31 points and 17 boards. He averaged a ridiculous 31 points and 14 rebounds, but those numbers were slightly off what he had been averaging for the season.

“(Wynott) knows basketball is a team game,” Eastman said. “He can score and he can pass that ball and that’s what makes him a special talent. He’s also great on the boards.”

SHADLE PARK (3-4)

Williams 2 2-2 6, Jacob Boston 5 0-0 12, Jordan Dever 3 1-2 7, Carson Eickstadt 3 0-1 6, Ronan Redd 2 0-0 5, Ryan Agapith 0 0-2 0, Jase Bower 0-0 0, Quinn Moses 1 1-2 3, Hayden Pomerinke 0 0-0 0, Arius Esiwini 1 1-2 3, Ethan Hair 0 1-5 1, Benson Plaster 1 0-1 2. Totals 18 6-17 45.

LAPWAI (8-0)

Promise Shawl 1 0-0 2, Terrell Ellenwood-Jones 6 2-4 14, Joseph Payne 1 0-0 3, Jaishaun Sherman 2 0-0 4, Ahlius Yearout 4 2-3 10, Jalisco Miles 1 0-0 3, Christopher Bohnee 0 1-2 1, Kase Wynott 10 8-8 31. Totals 25 13-17 68.

Shadle Park 11 12 10 12—43

Lapwai 14 21 14 19—68

3-point goals — Boston 2, Eickstadt, Wynott 3, Miles, Payne.

Pixley may be contacted at (208) 848-2290, tpixley@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @TreebTalks.

All-tournament team

Xavier Santana (Clarkston), Riply Luna (Kellogg), Terrell Ellenwood-Jones (Lapwai), Carson Way (Lewiston), Ian Hillman (Moscow), Max Chapman (Pendleton), Lee Forsmann (Prairie), Jacob Boston (Shadle Park).

MVP — Kase Wynott, Lapwai.