REDMOND — After spending the first month of the season playing a tough nonleague schedule, the Summit girls basketball team was hoping those challenging games would lead to success once Intermountain Conference play began.

After a 50-14 win on the road against Ridgeview in the IMC opener Friday night, matchups against tough Class 6A schools like South Medford, North Medford and Sheldon appear to have paid off.

“We wanted to test the kids and get them ready for league,” said Summit coach Lynnette Landis. “It was a total team effort. All the kids contributed and had fun. And it is fun to win games.”

The Storm turned in a nasty (in a good way) defensive performance, used a balanced scoring attack and showed off its depth to overwhelm the Ravens and start IMC play off with a win.

It was the type of defense, one that opposing teams dread playing, that Landis wants from her team.

“When we are in practice I tell them to just be annoying,” Landis said.

After a slow start offensively for both teams in the first quarter, where only nine total points were scored, Summit (6-4, 1-0 IMC) pulled away, scoring 17 in the second quarter and 16 in the third, while holding Ridgeview (5-5, 0-1) to five or fewer points in all four quarters.

It is the depth of the team that has Landis most excited about this year’s squad, despite its youth and inexperience.

“I think this is the first time in my seven years here that players one through 11 can contribute,” Landis said.

“It is relatively a new team. We have three players who played significant varsity minutes, but most of the players either played JV or didn’t see the floor on varsity.”

Friday night was the night for Summit’s underclassmen. The sophomore class showed out for the Storm against the Ravens. Both Kalyn Christ and Reese Aunchman reached double figures, scoring 11 points each. Senior Mallory Rosen had seven points, and freshman Kennedy Bollom finished with six.

“We got some big talent in the sophomore class,” Landis said. “That group has been playing together since youth ball. They play together in the offseason, so they have their own chemistry. They are very talented; they have such good attitudes and are hardworking kids. And it shows on the court.”

After starting the season with four straight wins, the Ravens have dropped five of their past six games. Friday was the second game in a row in which Ridgeview was unable to score more than 20 points in a game. Junior Zowie Nunes led the Ravens with seven points.

“We are trying to build that confidence on the offensive side because we aren’t playing with confidence on that end,” said Ridgeview coach Alicia Love. “Right now we are back to drawing where we can get better, and what are the things that we can do to make us successful the rest of the year.”

“We wanted to test the kids and get them ready for league. It was a total team effort. All the kids contributed and had fun. And it is fun to win games.”

— Summit High girls basketball coach Lynnette Landis