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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Pullman, WV play for title

There was no home-court advantage for Clarkston, especially in the first quarter of its 2A District 7 girls high school basketball playoff game against visiting West Valley on Monday night.

The No. 2-seeded Bantams made just 1 of 13 field goal tries the first eight minutes, fell behind by double figures and couldn’t dig themselves out of the hole as the No. 3 Eagles collected a 55-46 victory that sends them into the district championship game.

WV (17-5) will play top-seeded Pullman (19-2), a 59-49 winner over visiting Colville, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Eastern Washington University with the district’s No. 1 seeding to state on the line.

Clarkston (15-6) and Colville (10-12) meet in a loser-out game at 6 p.m. Friday at Central Valley trying to keep their state hopes alive.

Shaniqua Nilles (21) and Hannah Love (16) combined for 37 points for West Valley, which weathered a Clarkston fourth-quarter rally that saw the Bantams get within six points in the last two minutes. The Eagles made 9 of 13 free throws in the final quarter.

Kellie McCann-Smith had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead Clarkston.

Pullman used pressure defense to disrupt Colville, which stayed close with 10-of-14 free throw shooting. Erika Hansen led Pullman with 15 points. Moe Stuart had two 3-pointers and 11 for Colville.

Women’s basketball

Junior forward Cassie Pilkinton capped her first season at Whitworth by being named to the All-Northwest Conference second team.

Alida Bower, a senior guard at Whitworth, received honorable mention.

GSL’s Ryan has scare

Greater Spokane League secretary Randy Ryan was home Monday and “feeling fine” after undergoing emergency surgery Saturday for ulceration in the stomach while in Kennewick for the Region 4A basketball tournaments.

Besides the surgery, he received blood transfusions.