November 27, 2006 in Sports

Bjorkland and U-Hi seek title

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Mark Stinson was blindsided.

“Wow,” the University girls basketball coach said, “I don’t remember the last time I talked to somebody who hadn’t seen her play.”

The “her” is University phenom Angie Bjorklund, a candidate for national player of the year. More pressing, however, is that she gives the Titans their best opportunity to emerge as the top team in the Greater Spokane League and a state title contender.

Not that anything is chiseled in stone in this fathoms-deep league. Lewis and Clark is the defending Class 4A state champion, but the Tigers finished behind co-champs University and Gonzaga Prep in last year’s final GSL standings. Prep shared the title with U-High but had its season cut short before state. Mead and Shadle Park are among others with hopes of advancing beyond the “sleeper” moniker this season.

Already committed to the University of Tennessee, Bjorklund powered the Titans to last year’s state semifinals before a loss forced them to settle for a third-place finish. Her presence can’t be overstated – she actually upped her points per game during last year’s postseason, scoring 19.9 per game during the regular season and 21.8 against stiffer competition afterward.

“You look on some of the (recruiting) Web sites, and they describe Angie as having the best jump shot in the country,” Stinson said. “I haven’t seen anybody better. I don’t know many boys in college or high school that shoot it with a better looking or more accurate jump shot. She can put the ball on the floor, she’s great in transition, and she makes great decisions, too.”

Lewis and Clark may not have a player on its roster similarly recognized on a national level, but the Tigers are worthy of respect anywhere. Returning is first-team All-GSL selection Katelan Redmon, a 6-foot senior guard committed to Washington. LC coach Jim Redmon, Katelan’s uncle, said he’ll employ a four-guard rotation at times to take advantage of his niece, as well as seniors Lyndi Seidensticker, Ula Tauala and junior Brittany Kennedy.

Redmon said the GSL serves as a proving ground before the postseason, a notion agreed upon by coaches around the league. The Tigers lost four games last year – two during league play – but emerged stronger and more resilient just in time for their state tournament run.

“Our league has been in the top of state in 10 out of the last 15 years,” Redmon said. “This league has won an awful lot at state. What’s disappointing is only three teams get out of the league. Prep was ranked very high throughout the whole year and didn’t get to state. It’s just a shame.”

Redmon added that his players aren’t suffering a post-title hangover.

“You can tell there’s a drive there and they want to get back to the state tournament,” he said. “But that’s something we really don’t talk about. We go one game at a time. Losing four times last year and winning the title shows that situation. … The whole thing is to get through league and hopefully be on top of your game when the playoffs start.”

Mead was the only team to beat U-High in league play last year, and Panthers coach Regan (Freuen) Drew said her team’s next stage of development will be winning those types of contests consistently.

Senior and Portland State signee Kelli Valentine will anchor the low post, at least until Drew figures out how best to implement 6-foot-5 freshman Alexis Olgard. Mead has additional maturity with senior guards Kami Clark and Alysha Green.

“Our size is athletic, so our kids can play multiple positions to look at mismatches and things like that,” Drew said. “In the past we’ve had kids who played a certain position, but now we have kids who can play any position. We’re very athletic and can get up and down the floor.”

Stinson respects the Panthers’ potential.

“You look at Mead on paper and in warmups, and you think they’re a college team. They’re athletic and quick and huge. They’re still learning to play with each other, but it’s an impressive group of basketball players.”

G-Prep coach Mike Arte must overcome the graduation of eight players, perhaps a challenge too mighty for the Bullpups to match last season’s GSL co-championship. He does have the advantage of turning to senior all-leaguer Tara Cronin, a versatile 5-10 wing who scored 15.9 points per game as a junior.

Shadle Park senior Lexi Bishop will join Mead’s Valentine at Portland State next year. Highlanders coach Chad Dezellem described Bishop as “extremely talented and extremely strong, a wonderful kid and coachable.” She’ll need to be all of those things this year for Shadle Park to improve upon last year’s sixth-place finish in the GSL.

“One of the things I told the kids is that there is a lot of very good teams in the league, and we’re one of those teams,” Dezellem said. “How well we do depends on how well we play as a team and how hard they want to work. I have let them know we have high expectations for them.”

Of the GSL’s three Class 3A schools – East Valley, Mount Spokane and North Central – East Valley is the early favorite to secure the league’s top seed at regionals. The Knights will start four tightly knit seniors.

“They’re best friends off the court and on the court,” EV coach Freddie Rehkow said. “They know the system really well. They’ve gone through the rigors of high school and been in the playoffs last year. They’re relaying their experience to the underclassmen joining them this year and provided a strong work ethic.”

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