CV advances to 4A semis

TACOMA – The styles could not have contrasted more. Central Valley, giving up an average height disadvantage of 4 inches per man to Gig Harbor, kept it deliberate Thursday at the Tacoma Dome and won 46-34 to reach the State 4A boys basketball semifinals.

Ferris went up-tempo toe-to-toe with Franklin and lost 59-52 to fall into the today’s consolation round.

The Bears play tonight at 8:30 against South Kitsap, a 55-43 winner over Snohomish. Ferris plays Mt. Tahoma at 2 p.m. in a consolation game.

Central Valley 46, Gig Harbor 34: The Bears reached the state semifinals for the first time since their title year in 1968. And their style of play harkened back to those patient Ray Thacker-era teams.

“Our goal was not to stall,” said current coach Rick Sloan. “They do a great job of mixing up their defenses and we had to be patient and get good shots.”

What the Bears did not want to happen was allow Gig Harbor, with two 6-foot-8 and two 6-5 starters to get into its half-court game, so defensively they extended the game a full 94 feet.

It resulted in a low-scoring game that the Bears led for all but an opening free throw 2 minutes into the contest.

CV built a 9-2 advantage a minute into the second period. The Tides closed to within three points in the second half, but in the game’s final 2 minutes, 52 seconds CV’s deliberation led to free throws and players made 11 of 12 to seal the game.

Prime offensive movers at the end for the second straight night were sophomore Luke Clift and senior sub Matt Morgan, who combined to make 9 of 10 from the line. Morgan scored a team-high 14 points.

But, said Sloan, victory was a case of a “great bunch of kids executing the plan.”

The team wasn’t in a hurry to score, running as much as 2 minutes off the clock in a possession. Six players scored, including five 3-pointers.

On defense, Brad Johnson drew the task of containing 6-8 sophomore Clarence Trent. He limited him to one free throw in the first half and six total points.

“The GSL is small in comparison to teams over here,” said the 6-3 Johnson. “We just wanted to keep him to the least amount of chances possible and box out.”

“We struggled earlier in the year offensively and I didn’t think we’d get here,” said Sloan. “What I’m most pleased and proud of is their perseverance. I told them if they work hard every day good things will happen.”

Good things did. With seven wins in eight playoff games following a 15-5 regular season, the result for CV is an assured trophy and no worse than a sixth-place state finish.

Franklin 63, Ferris 54: Franklin’s basketball by intimidation, a high-flying pressure style, left Saxons bodies strewn on the court after getting lay-up attempts blocked early in the game.

Ferris made just 9 of 18 shots from the line into the fourth quarter – and missed the front end of two one-and-ones to boot – the Saxons hung around.

They cut a nine-point deficit to just one with 2:33 left in the third quarter on back-to-back 3-pointers by Jon Clift and Jace Mattinson to maintain hope only to surrender the final five points of the quarter.

The Quakers shut down the afterburners in the final quarter and did enough down the stretch, while Ferris failed to answer missing several inside attempts, and held off a team that had a legitimate shot at a win.

“We missed some free throws and had trouble finishing plays. And we turned the ball over a few times under pressure. I’m sure Franklin had something to do with it,” said Ferris coach Don Van Lierop.

Both teams played up-tempo from the outset, Ferris getting inside to build an 11-4 lead on layins by Shawn Stockton and Clift and a key three-point play by Brian Hallett off penetration and an assist by Jace Mattinson.

But Franklin’s relentless style and athleticism wiped it out over the next 7 minutes, and the Quakers led 26-19 on the second-quarter scoring of Jordan Daisy and Peyton Siva.

That lead stretched to 45-36, but was 45-44 a couple of minutes later in the third quarter.

Franklin regained a six-point advantage and Ferris’ shooting woes around the basket spelled the end when the Quakers made seven late free throws.

Clift scored 17 points.