NC, EV make state

North Central’s boys and East Valley’s girls continued an odds-defying 3A regional basketball weekend and in high-scoring basketball games earned the Greater Spokane League a sweep of all four Eastern Washington state berths.

After losing to Shadle Park for the fourth straight time this year in Friday night’s regional championship, NC’s Indians (15-11) did the same to the host Rogers Pirates with an 80-72 decision Saturday. For the third time in five years, NC will compete at state, joining the Highlanders (20-4) next week in Tacoma.

“It wasn’t exactly how I thought it was going to go. We were disappointed in our defense the first half and it was not our game plan to have to score 80 points. But we’ll take it,” NC coach Jay Webber said. “When you play a team four times, it’s hard to beat them (all four).”

EV’s Knights (9-17), in an overtime game that by rights ought not have been necessary, outlasted Hanford 66-63 for their second trip in school history, the first in 2007. Winning without starter Amber Swyers because of her ejection Friday night in the title game, they join Shadle Park (16-8) at state.

“On paper, one quarter a game did us in this year,” coach Rob Collins said of late-surging EV. “I told them to play four quarters – and they didn’t need to be good – to win and it happened.”

The tournament draw is today and competition begins Wednesday.

Boys

North Central 80, Rogers 72: Defense took a backseat as the two offenses went back and forth. But the game turned when, with 2 minutes, 44 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Rogers scoring leader Deavon Daniels picked up his fourth personal foul and had to sit.

The Indians reeled off 20 straight points for a 66-53 lead. The Pirates (13-13) had been there the day before and mounted a torrid comeback, closing to within 68-64 in the fourth quarter. NC made good at the free-throw line in the final 2:40 and held on.

In the first half the Pirates kept coming from behind to take leads of as many as six points and led 40-37. The Indians trailed 53-46 in the third quarter before going on the 20-point run that included successive 3-pointers by Jon Smith (his third and fourth of the game).

“I kind of think of myself as a 3-point shooter first, and I was feeling good today,” Smith said.

Smith personifies NC’s scoring diversity. During the regular season, only one player, Isaiah Antoine, averaged double figures (barely), so they scored with numbers.

“We’re pretty well-balanced and have a lot of athleticism,” Smith said.

So, too, does Rogers, but not the depth off the bench. That spelled the difference when Daniels took a seat, coach Tim Wood said.

Daniels finished with 20 points, one of four Pirates in double figures. Dillon Franklin and Chris Davis each scored 16 points and Theron Tillett had 13.

NC also had four double-figure performers, led by Antoine (who made five important free throws down the stretch) and Smith with 14 each. The others were Zac Hill (12) and Gunnar Swager (13 off the bench).

Girls

East Valley 66, Hanford 63 (OT): If nothing else, the Knights were resilient. They missed easy layins too numerous to count – “It had to be 15 at least, it might have been a million,” Collins said.

They missed their free throws – 8 of 9 at one point and finishing 4 for 14, including two clutch makes by Jenni White in OT.

They allowed Hanford long-range shooter Sammi Merry to get free for 25 points, 18 of them on 3-pointers, including several remarkable makes.

After blowing an early 17-7 lead and 46-39 advantage late in the third quarter, EV, instead of comfortably ahead, trailed 58-54 with 45 seconds remaining.

White got the game tied 59-59 on a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left and a basket with 19 seconds to go (although missing a go-ahead free throw).

In the extra frame, White put EV up 62-59. Following Kimmie Thatcher’s layin that fouled out the Falcons’ scoring leader, 6-foot-2 Laura Hughes (24 points), White hit two free throws for a 66-61 lead with 45 seconds left that held up in the frantic finish.

“We fought to the end,” said White, who finished with 25 points, 17 in the second half. “We didn’t get frustrated and just kept pounding it in. We didn’t give up.”