CV Girls Solve Gonzaga, Shadle, But Mead Poses New Test
The Central Valley girls basketball team was up to the task last Friday of overcoming Gonzaga Prep’s twin towers, 6-foot-1 juniors Jennifer Williams and Theresa Palmer.
Figuring out a way to contain 5-foot-5 Mead sparkplug Stacy Clinesmith poses a different kind of problem this week for the once-beaten Bears.
CV beat previous league co-runnerup Shadle Park 72-45 on Tuesday to set up the game with the league leading Panthers Friday at 7:15 p.m. in the Arena.
Coach Dale Poffenroth said he will try to match Clinesmith’s speed with a quartet of guards, including Sandra White and Andrea Kallas, and hope it is enough.
But he’s still agonizing over CV’s only loss of the year to Ferris, in which the Saxons proved to be the better-prepared, if not more talented, team.
“They had a great game plan and we fell into it,” said Poffenroth. “We had to reconstruct things and get the kids to where they can’t play haphazardly.”
That included games against a touring Australia team and North Central, a contest in which he is still feeling the repercussions of scoring 113 points.
The Bears rolled to a 39-18 halftime lead over Gonzaga on their way to a 70-51 win over the then once-beaten Bullpups. Kallas had her second straight 13-point league outing.
“Gonzaga has a good club,” said Poffenroth. “Too bad for them and good for us that (point guard) Danielle Thorn is hurt.”
CV won’t have such luck against Mead, whose Clinesmith was state tournament MVP last year and who is averaging 16 points per game.
New puzzle pieces help CV
A basketball team’s players, said Central Valley coach Terry Irwin, are like pieces of a puzzle.
“You have to jockey them around until they fit,” he said. “Saturday night they fit well.”
On the heels of a 55-54 overtime loss to Gonzaga Prep, in which CV blew several opportunities to win even after squandering a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, Irwin added some new pieces against Kamiakin.
One was sophomore Nate McFarlane whose speed helped neutralize full-court pressure, which has bothered CV this year.
The result was a season-high 84 points and a 25-point win followed by a 71-41 win over Shadle Park.
Fellow soph Ryan Smith scored a career high 23 points on 10 of 13 shooting against Kamiakin and had 19 against Shadle.
“The loss to Gonzaga helped more than hurt us,” said Irwin. “We grew up in a lot of ways. We showed the confidence and intelligence to adjust out on the floor which we hadn’t been able to do.”
Does this mean McFarlane will become a staple of the lineup?
“You gotta go with it,” said Irwin. “There’s no subtitute for quickness.”
Knights host Eagles in Frontier
East Valley (2-7) has yet to win a Frontier League basketball game and will be outsized when it hosts 8-1 West Valley Friday night.
But with league teams forced to prepare for back-to-back games each weekend, the result isn’t a foregone conclusion.
Not only must WV prepare for EV but for league favorite Pullman.
Last Friday, the Knights, thanks to sweet-shooting transfer Brad Wilson, gave the visiting Greyhounds all they could handle.
“I think the kids, though they saw going in this was one of the best teams in league, know if they close their eyes we can beat somebody,” said coach Rich King.
Wilson scored 30 points during the 76-66 setback which was close for the better part of three quarters.
The left-handed shooter had 15 points in each half.
He made just 6 of 14 first-half shots. In the second half he hit 5 of 7, including four from beyond the three-point arc.
EV rallied from 12 points down to come within six at 72-66 with 35 seconds remaining, even though James Spotted Horse sat out the first half and picked up four quick fouls in the third quarter.
“James was suspended (for being late to practice) and out of synch,” said King. “When you take our leading scorer and rebounder out of the lineup it hurts.”
Spotted Horse had 15 points the next night in a 76-52 loss to Cheney. WV won 61-56 at Riverside.
Important game for Valley teams
Although it’s only the second week of the Frontier League season, the East Valley-West Valley girls game at EV Friday is significant.
The Knights, 1-1, and Eagles, 0-1, must win to remain close to leaders Cheney and Colville.
EV routed Pullman 65-42 on the three-pronged scoring attack of Linsay Porter, Star Olson and Angela Overdorff who accounted for 46 points.
Next night defending champion Cheney won 55-44 despite Overdorff’s 16 points.
WV lost 50-46 to Riverside, in part because Keisha Sowers got into foul trouble and a lack of rebounding.
“We had opportunities and didn’t convert when we had to,” said WV coach Mark Kuipers, whose team rallied from several deficits.
“You’re only allowed so many comebacks.”
Sign-up for YMCA basketball
Deadline for registration for YMCA basketball for children in kindergarten through third grade and for indoor soccer for fourth through sixth graders is Jan 18.
Practice begins the week of Jan. 29 and games will be played Saturdays beginning Feb. 10.
Players can register at the YMCA office in Tidyman’s at Sprague and McDonald. Scholarships are available for low-income families. Volunteer coaches are needed.
For further information call 927-1474.
Spring soccer registration
Registration for Spokane Valley Junior Soccer for the spring season is now in progress for players ages 5-14.
Games will be played on Saturdays from April 6 through May 11. A tournament will be played the following weekend. Volunteer coaches are needed.
Forms can be picked up at the office, 12505 E. Sprague on the second floor of the Olympic Sports Building. Deadline is Feb. 9.
For information call 922-7910.
, DataTimes