The loudest cheers of the game might have come when South Kitsap guard Caitlin Daniels drew a charge in the fourth quarter.

Never mind that the Wolves were down 35 points.

It was a game where little victories were celebrated by South in a 68-32 loss Thursday night against Mount Tahoma. The setback put the Wolves (3-4 overall) below .500 for the first time since the season opener.

South never held a lead in the game, partially because it struggled to handle the Thunderbirds’ press. The Wolves committed 24 of 37 turnovers in the first half.

“We don’t handle the press,” South coach Mike Allen said. “It’s an area we need to work on.”

Another reccurring issue for the Wolves is free throws. They made 11 of 27 (40.7 percent) in the first half and trailed 32-17 entering the third quarter.

“We missed 24 free throws by my estimate,” Allen said. “That’s pretty brutal. That’s a dagger when we miss free throws.”

It’s not all negative, though. Allen said he likes the fact that his team draws fouls.

“If you go to the line that many times, you’re doing something right,” he said.

And while the 36-point loss easily eclipsed the Wolves’ previous worst setback — 51-37 at Gig Harbor on Dec. 7 — MT (7-0) is in first place in the Narrows League Bay Division and beat Stadium by 77 points Dec. 18.

“They’re as good as they are because they’re that talented,” Allen said.

South senior Kaileigh Westermann cites where the teams have been in recent years as a comparison. While MT finished fifth in last season’s Class 4A state tournament, the Wolves posted a 2-17 record. South hasn’t qualified for state since 2000.

“They really know how to play and we’re learning,” she said.

After Friday’s late game at Shelton, which initially was scheduled for Dec. 3 but postponed because of flooding, the Wolves play Thursday at Woodinville and return home Dec. 29 against Auburn.

The Wolves now have lost two consecutive games after a 52-44 loss Dec. 14 at Foss, but Westermann said she’s not worried about the team’s morale.

“I’m pretty confident we’ll bounce back,” she said. “I think we’ll take this as learning opportunity rather than dwelling on it.”

Mount Tahoma 20 12 18 18 — 68

South Kitsap 4 13 4 11 — 32

Mount Tahoma–Danielle Hunter 9, Shayvonne Barrett 6, Amani Sorrell 4, Amanda Sok 5, Carrie Ojeda 11, Shaunice Samms 13, Leana Magalei 0, Jassity Mamea 13, Chayneice Johnson 3, Sabrina Scott 4, Charly Williams 0.

South Kitsap–Caitlin Daniels 0, Samantha Gulisao 4, Stephanie Osterdahl 6, Amanda Feeney 0, Maria Jose 0, Ashlee Stoner 0, Chelnesha Thuring 8, Tori Fairweather 1, Jessica Jordan 6, Angel Sheldon 2, Molly Werder 2, Kaileigh Westermann 3.