Several Key Games Coming Up
For pure matchups, this may be the best weekend of small-school basketball during the regular season.
The fun begins Friday night when Bi-County League divisional leaders gather in Reardan and the Lakeside girls open a “prove-it” weekend.
Ritzville’s boys (11-0, 6-0) and girls (9-2, 5-0), Bi-County West leaders, take a shot at East Division-leading Reardan (boys 10-0, 5-0; girls 8-2, 4-1), starting at 5:45.
Reardan’s boys will attempt to slow 6-foot-5 senior guard John Galbreath (24 points per game in league). Reardan features six players who have hit double figures at least once in league, topped by senior guard Travis Titchenal (20 ppg).
The girls will scrap inside, as 6-1 Broncos sophomore Megan Yerxa (21 ppg) will face the 1-2 punch of 5-11 senior Katie Supinger (18 ppg) and 6-0 junior Kristen Turner.
Reardan’s girls will have less than 24 hours to rest before a Saturday home game with Wilbur-Creston (8-3), which has won seven straight and broke St. John-Endicott’s 38-game winning streak Tuesday. The return of sophomore guard Alyssa Erickson, recovered from an ankle injury, has bolstered W-C.
Speaking of no chance to rest, Lakeside (8-1, 3-0) will move from Friday’s 8 p.m. home game against Newport (8-0, 3-0) to Saturday’s 8 p.m. road game at Colfax (9-0, 3-0). The majority of Northeast A League scoring leaders will be involved: Lakeside junior Brianne Jolley (22.3) and sophomore Nikki Petticrew (11.0); Newport seniors Michele Carrara (21.3) and Heidi Schulz (11.7), and sophomore Carey Sauer (23.3); and Colfax seniors Tracy Tribbett (10.0) and Lindsay Thiele (10.7).
Whitman County League boys cut to the chase Saturday night at 6:30 with LaCrosse-Washtucna (8-2) against Garfield-Palouse (9-0) at Palouse. All-leaguers expected on the court are seniors Troy Nealey, Clint Ledbetter and Jeremy Daniel of L-W, and senior Jeremy Fox and junior Logan Coles of G-P.
Completing Saturday’s premier lineup, the Northport girls (9-1, 4-1) earn their shot at Panorama League posturing with an intradivisional game against perennial South Division champ St. George’s (5-1 league, winners of six straight).
Sophomore Karen Sauvola (13.6) and senior Jessica Sell (11.4) have led Northport’s charge toward the top. St. George’s looks to junior post Miranda Routh-Corker (20.5) and freshman point guard Wenchi Liu.
The Stinky, Groovy Chicken Throne games: The Rubber Chicken games between South Hill rivals Ferris and Lewis and Clark are Friday at the Arena. The girls play at 3:45 and the boys at 5:30.
The other spirit/rivalry games are the Groovy Shoes between Shadle Park at North Central at the Arena on Jan. 24; the Stinky Sneaker between University and Central Valley on Jan. 31 at U-Hi; and the Golden Throne between East Valley and West Valley on Feb. 7 at East Valley.
For more information
Jeremy Reed of Bellingham is putting together a statewide high school basketball newsletter.
The Prep Report will have eight editions, the first one already published by the student at Western Washington University. The cost is $20 for mail subscriptions, $25 by fax.
To order The Prep Report or for further information, contact Reed Publishing at 5318 Northwest Road Ste., B-2, Bellingham, 98226.
BOYS EXHIBITION
Lakeside 91, Australia 53
Australia 12 9 16 16 - 53
Lakeside 23 22 21 25 - 91
AUSTRALIA Decourt 3, Smith 0, Gregory 16, Place 15, Dang Fang 11, Rebelo 2, B.Spagnolo 4, K.Spagnolo 2.
LAKESIDE Nelson 7, Wilson 8, Petticrew 16, Spiger 6, Bender 8, Day 11, Dasenbrock 17, Brian Coe 16.
, DataTimes