CV, G-Prep play for berth

Adam Chamberlain came out of the locker room at Art Dawald Gymnasium, walking gingerly on a sore left knee, the product of a late-game collision during Central Valley’s 66-54 road loss to Richland at the 4A boys basketball subregional tournament on Friday night. 

Chamberlain led the Bears in scoring with 14 points, but he couldn’t stop an emotional Bombers squad bent on avenging a midseason beatdown at the hands of Central Valley. 

“I feel fine. Things just didn’t go our way today. We’re still confident we can beat anybody in the state,” Chamberlain said after his team absorbed its second loss of the season.

CV (20-2) will play host to Gonzaga Prep (17-6) tonight at 7 for the right to advance to the regional round of the 4A state tournament.

The Bears took an 11-8 first- quarter lead after A.J. Knudsen converted a three-point play, then got a steal and went coast-to-coast for a bucket to fuel a 9-0 run. 

Richland went on an 11-4 run to open the second quarter, giving the Bombers a 25-19 lead with 4:30 to go in the half. Austin Daines drained a 3-pointer with 2:41 left in the second to cap another 9-0 run that put Central Valley up 28-25.

But not much went right for the Bears after that.

Richland went on a 8-0 run to end the half to take a 33-28 lead. The Bombers, who lost 66-44 on their home court in December, would not trail again. 

“We beat them pretty solidly here, but I thought they defended well today,” Bears coach Rick Sloan said.

Chamberlain was one of four CV players in early foul trouble, drawing his second foul late in the first quarter. 

“We talked about that at halftime. Adam hardly played at all in the first half, and we were still within striking distance,” Sloan said.

“But when your shots aren’t falling, you’ve got to defend a little better.”

Central Valley finished 21 for 53 from the floor, just under 40 percent. The Bombers also shot 41 percent (26 of 64), but they got a lot more opportunities to convert.

Beau Byus chipped in 14 points and Knudsen added 10 for the Bears. 

Nathan Streufert led Richland with 18 points, while Payton Radliff added 16.

Gonzaga Prep 64, Walla Walla 56: The Bullpups avoided elimination with a win over the host Blue Devils.

Ryan Alexander scored 17 points and Sam Dowd added 16 for Gonzaga Prep, which made 18 of 19 free throws.

Brendan McClary had 12 points and Jake Groh chipped in 10 for the Bullpups, who outscored Walla Walla 18-13 in the first quarter and led 31-24 at halftime.

The loss eliminated Walla Walla.