Dave Trimmer

Given an opportunity, Yinka Olurunnife seized it. Seize is the operative word. The 6-foot senior heads into the Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament as the newly crowned all-time leading rebounder in Idaho and league history.

Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga's record-breaking senior point guard, was named the 2011 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award winner.

Colton made history twice Saturday afternoon at the Spokane Arena. The Wildcats became the first team to win three consecutive girls State 1B basketball championships and the first to do it with a loss in the state tournament.

Maybe Napavine could have beaten Kwinn Hanson before his Northwest Christian teammates got involved in the boys State 2B basketball championship, but there’s no question the Crusaders won their seventh state championship because of him. Hanson scored 21 points, including all 17 the Crusaders had in the first half, and anchored the defense in a 41-32 Northwest Christian victory over the Tigers Saturday night at the Arena.

Kwinn Hanson scored 21 points, including all 17 the Northwest Christian Crusaders had in the first half, and anchored the defense in a 41-32 victory over Napavine in the 2B boys title game Saturday night at the Spokane Arena.

Colton made history Saturday afternoon at the Spokane Arena, twice. The Wildcats became the first team to win three-straight Class B girls basketball championships and the first ever to do it with a loss in the state tournament.

There was no way Kwinn Hanson was going to miss any more basketball just because he got an elbow sandwich.

Sources in Canada have confirmed that Spokane native Tyler Johnson, the Spokane Chiefs’ leading scorer, will sign a three-year entry level contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning when the Chiefs returns from their two-game weekend series in Prince George.

The Breeze that was at the back of the Lake Roosevelt boys basketball team became a headwind at the worst possible time. The Raiders, who seemed to be inspired the past month by the memory of their late principal Steve Breeze, mustered only seven points in the first half and never recovered, losing to Napavine 59-42 in the State 2B boys basketball tournament at the Arena Thursday afternoon.

The Lake Roosevelt Raiders, who seemed to be inspired the past month by the memory of their late principal Steve Breeze, mustered only seven points in the first half and never recovered, losing to Napavine 59-42 in the State 2B boys basketball tournament at the Arena Thursday afternoon.

Compared to Lake Roosevelt or Colton, the sense of relief at Northwest Christian for making the state basketball tournament may not draw much attention. But when the Crusaders tip off against La Conner at 10:30 this morning in the State 2B boys tournament at the Arena, they’ll be as happy as anybody.

Compared to Lake Roosevelt or Colton, the sense of relief at Northwest Christian for making the state basketball tournament may not draw much attention.

It may be the least surprising news, but it was no less monumental when the West Coast Conference announced Tuesday that Gonzaga senior Courtney Vandersloot was its player of the year. She is the first three-time winner of the award. She was also all-WCC as a freshman, when teammate Heather Bowman was MVP.

Although time is quickly running out for Lyndi Seidensticker, the Montana State senior out of Lewis and Clark High thinks the best is yet to come. “In any sport there are ups and downs,” Seidensticker said. “You battle through the downs, try to have as many ups as possible. There have been a lot more ups later in my career. That’s how it works, that’s how it worked in high school. You have to prove yourself to your coach and get to know your teammates.

It may be the least surprising news ever but it was no less monumental when the West Coast Conference announced Tuesday Gonzaga senior Courtney Vandersloot was the Player of the Year.

For the first time the Gonzaga women’s basketball team sold out McCarthey Athletic Center on its own merit. Judging by the ovations, it was pretty easy to determine why.

For the first time the Gonzaga women’s basketball team sold out McCarthey Athletic Center on its own merit. Judging by the ovations, it was pretty easy to determine why. Before the 23rd-ranked Bulldogs dispatched San Diego 80-58 Saturday afternoon, 6,000 fans paid homage to the most successful class in program history.