Kallas Twins Stay Apace With Trips To State Dream Comes True For Senior Sisters With Eagles, Bears
Andrea Kallas had just qualified for the State AAA basketball tournament with the Central Valley Bears, but she was panicked.
Kallas’s family had left her at Gonzaga University following CV’s win over Ferris and headed to East Valley High to watch her twin sister, Angela, attempt to duplicate the feat with West Valley.
“I was emotionally drained,” Andrea said. “My first thought was, ‘I gotta get to my sister’s game.”’
Andrea ultimately hitched a ride with teammate Michelle Grafos’s parents and arrived at EV in the second quarter of the Eagle victory over Riverside.
Their shared dream had come true. Twin sisters, playing for different teams, would complete their careers with state tournament appearances.
The last time it happened was 1993 when twin boys played at the AA tournament for Franklin and Garfield Highs.
“If she hadn’t gotten to state, I wouldn’t have felt so good,” said Andrea. “You know twins have to do the same thing.”
While getting ready for her 8 p.m. State AA qualifying game, Angela listened to her sister’s 6 p.m. contest.
“I knew they’d win,” she said. “Andrea inspired me.”
Angela had missed all 10 shots she took the night before in a loss to Cheney. On Saturday, she scored 18 points, including four 3-point baskets.
“I said no way would we lose again,” said Angela.
The young women are playing their second tourney games today, Andrea and CV in Seattle’s Kingdome, Angela and WV in the Tacoma Dome.
Their parents and relatives are repeating an all-too-familiar scene, charging back and forth between the twins’ games. That’s how it has been for the Kallas clan since last year, when Angela transferred.
As schedules permitted, they shuttled back and forth between the games of their children. It was not uncommon to see one of the twins, before or after her own game, in street clothes watching the other play.
Both were instrumental helping their teams win league titles.
Andrea Kallas this year averaged 16.7 per game as part of the Greater Spokane League’s best one-two scoring tandem. In the playoffs she scored just 5.8 points per game.
“I was just concentrating on getting the team to state,” said Andrea. “It meant me scoring during league. At regionals I picked up other areas of the game.”
Coach Mark Kuipers credits point guard Angela with some of WV’s success. Unlike her sister, who wants to play Division I basketball, Angela had lost her desire for the game and is done after state.
“Being at so many schools,” she said, “I was burned out.”
Her sister’s dramatic improvement inspired her. She matured, said her coach, and provided WV with a spark.
“If she doesn’t, it’s difficult for us to get where we are now,” said Kuipers. “She’s got the savvy we all look for in players and is a steadying influence with the ball.”
A week ago prospects looked bleak that both would qualify for state. Central Valley was in the midst of a three-game funk.
One more loss in the Lamb Weston AAA East Regional and an outstanding season would have gone for naught. The Bears won three games in a row, including two on Saturday.
“I promised my family and myself I would die before we didn’t go to state,” said Andrea.
West Valley didn’t have to work as hard, but a Friday night loss to Cheney put pressure on the Eagles to win on Saturday or stay home.
“The family is going to be running up and down I-5,” said Kuipers. “That’s neat. It’s what they dreamed about and what Angie wanted.”
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