Shadle Park keeps playoff hopes alive
With 8 minutes to go Friday night, Shadle Park’s girls seemed stuck in a perpetual game of catch-up, watching their postseason hopes fade away.
It’s funny how 15 straight points can change perceptions.
Shadle turned a seven-point, fourth-quarter deficit into a 53-49 road win over Ferris, putting the Highlanders (11-8, 6-6) in control of the sixth seed into the GSL District 8 4A tournament.
A Highlanders win over Mt. Spokane on Tuesday would clinch it, while Ferris needs to beat Rogers on Tuesday and hope for Mt. Spokane to win, which would force a three-way tie and a two-day playoff.
For three quarters, it looked like the Saxons (8-11, 5-7) would take over the driver’s seat.
Shadle came out pressing to start the fourth and forced two turnovers and a missed 3-pointer, scoring on the other end with two buckets by Lexie Pettersen and a 3-pointer by Lexi Bishop.
Bishop continued a personal 9-0 run with consecutive three-point plays, and Pettersen finished off the spurt with a tough bank shot to make it 48-40.
“They’re a huge part of what we do,” Shadle head coach Chad Dezellem said of Bishop and Pettersen, who scored all 15 during the run and finished with 22 apiece for the Highlanders. “You can’t make a 15-0 run unless you keep them from scoring and our defense stepped up a little bit. Our full-court pressure kept them from getting in a rhythm.”
During its 5 minute, 15 second scoreless span, Ferris turned the ball over four times and missed a pair of shots.
“We just got a little nervous,” Saxons head coach Art Rojas said. “We had a few turnovers and it swung the momentum in a big way and they came after us.”
Jenna Galloway led Ferris with 16 points and nine rebounds.
University 69, East Valley 50
Angie Bjorklund had 34 points and six of U-Hi’s 11 3-pointers as the Titans (16-3, 11-1) defeated the Knights at East Valley (8-11, 4-8).
The Titans remain in a three-way tie for first, with a game against Lewis and Clark Thursday to settle the top of the league.
Mead 63, Mt. Spokane 51
The Panthers had five girls in double figures, led by 13 from Nikki Nelson, as they stayed a game out of first with a road win over the Wildcats (8-11, 5-7)
Mead (15-4, 10-2) still has a chance at the third seed if LC beats U-Hi.
Lewis and Clark 78, NC 34
The Tigers (18-1, 11-1) led 47-10 at the half and Katelyn Redmon paced all scorers with 18 as LC won easily over the visiting Indians (4-15, 2-10).
Boys
Ferris 76, Shadle Park 45
Ferris led by 25 after one half and coasted to an easy win over the visiting Highlanders (12-7, 8-4).
Jon Clift scored 24 points and sophomore reserve Jared Karstetter had 19 points and 10 boards for the Saxons (19-1, 11-1), who clinched an automatic bid into the regional tournament.
Mead 62, Mt. Spokane 50
Desmond Seay had nine first-quarter points as the Panthers (8-11, 6-6) ran out to a 10-point lead in the first frame on the way to a road win over the Wildcats (11-8, 6-6).
Mead’s Lucas Ashe led all scorers with 17.
North Central 57, LC 37
Eric Beal and Damal Neil combined for 37 points, leading the Indians (18-2, 11-1) to an easy win at Lewis and Clark (4-15, 3-9).
University 66, East Valley 63
The Knights had three shots at the tie in the last 8 seconds, but couldn’t convert one as the visiting Titans (6-14, 3-9) held on the beat EV (4-15, 1-11).
Tyler Olson led U-Hi with 14 points and four of the Titans’ 10 3-pointers.