GSL girls: Stage set for Thursday finales
The top three teams in Greater Spokane League girls basketball won Tuesday, setting the stage for Thursday’s season finale at Lewis and Clark.
Third-place Mead (16-3) will face league-leading LC (18-1) at 5:30 p.m. in the night’s feature, setting up a potential finish reminiscent of last year.
Four teams were separated by a single game, but they only played each other once.
A win by the Tigers would assure them their second outright GSL championship.
LC defeated fifth-place Gonzaga Prep (12-8) at home 80-45, while Mead’s Panthers topped host North Central (0-17) 62-44.
In Tuesday night’s main event, second-place University (17-2) got away from Shadle Park (13-6) in the final quarter of a 50-36 road triumph.
In the night’s other games, Ferris (10-9) beat Mt. Spokane (2-15) 48-44 and East Valley (6-11) swept its season series with Central Valley (4-15), winning 46-34 to lock up top district seeding among the GSL’s three 3A teams.
In 4A, Mead could still tie U-Hi for second place, necessitating a playoff.
Otherwise, the district field is set. LC is No. 1 and assured a first-round bye and regional berth. Shadle is No. 4 and will host No. 5 G-Prep on Tuesday.
Ferris, No. 6, will be at either Mead or U-Hi.
U-Hi 50, Shadle 36: The Titans, leading by only a point after three quarters, outscored the Highlanders 17-4 over the final 8 minutes. Shadle went cold from the field in the second half, making just three field goals and hitting 1 of 12 attempts in the fourth quarter. U-Hi was 5 for 7 from the floor and 7 for 8 from the free-throw line during the final quarter. Angie Bjorklund scored 22 points, the only Titan in double figures. She has 1,871 career points, 34 away from becoming the league’s all-time scoring leader, male or female.
Mead 62, NC 44: The Panthers scored easy points in transition and led the host Indians 41-20 at halftime. Kelli Valentine led a balanced Mead team with 14 points. NC, which made 13 of 18 free-throw tries, was paced by Katelyn Fiorillo, who was 7 for 9 from the line and scored 11.
LC 80, G-Prep 45: The Tigers piled up 32 first-quarter points and led 54-18 at half. They shot 50 percent from the field. LC’s Ula Tauala led the scoring with 14 points. Sarah Kliewer added 13 points, and Brittany Kennedy had 12 and eight steals. G-Prep’s Tara Cronin had 16 points, half from the free-throw line.
Ferris 48, Mt. Spokane 44: A fourth-quarter rally by the Wildcats fell short. Ferris had built a 37-30 lead through three quarters after leading by a basket at half. Ashley Lockmer scored 14 for the Saxons and Korina Baker 15 for Mt. Spokane.
EV 46, CV 34: The host Knights built a 31-9 halftime lead, outscoring the Bears 17-1 in the opening quarter, then weathered the fourth quarter. Eleaya Schuerch had 14 points and nine rebounds for EV. Justine Bowman scored 14 for the Bears.