Greg Lee

Cheney must hire boys and girls basketball coaches – again. The Blackhawks have gone through basketball coaches in recent years like a teen-ager through socks.

Wins, and certainly not the losses, were not the definition of Tyrone Hoard’s coaching career as the Rogers girls basketball coach. What speaks to Hoard’s accomplishments is the fact that his players, regardless of the outcome, always played hard – as if they had a chance to win.

Lewis and Clark basketball standout and senior-to-be Riley Lupfer has given Boise State University an oral commitment. This winter she averaged 16.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. The guard made 52 percent of her shots and 44 percent from 3-point range.

TACOMA – It wasn’t the shot Gonzaga Prep girls basketball coach Mike Arte wanted. Arte wasn’t going to turn away the 3-pointer from Laura Stockton with nine seconds remaining that lifted the offensively challenged Bullpups past the Todd Beamer Titans 41-39 in the State 4A tournament semifinals Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

TACOMA – The Moses Lake boys basketball team found out why Federal Way is the State 4A tournament favorite. The Eagles beat the Chiefs frequently in transition and from long distance, as Federal Way cruised to a 74-63 decision in an opener Thursday that wasn’t close at the Tacoma Dome.

Mike Arte got his wish Sunday. It has nothing to do with the Gonzaga Prep girls basketball team’s quarterfinal opponent when the Bullpups return to action Thursday at the Hardwood Classic at the Tacoma Dome.

You get the feeling that even if Northwest Christian boys basketball coach Ray Ricks had a roster full of freshmen he’d expect the Crusaders to get to the Spokane Arena. The average age of the Crusaders is older but they don’t have a senior on the roster. Except for a few careless turnovers, Northwest Christian led essentially start to finish in a 64-55 decision over the Lake Roosevelt Raiders on Friday in the regional round of the State 2B tournament at Mt. Spokane High School.

In three previous games against Lake City, Coeur d’Alene senior Tony Naccarato hadn’t scored in double figures. In many ways, Naccarato was nonexistent. That is, until Thursday.

It might be the most lopsided matchup in the regional round of state girls basketball games this weekend. Curtis of Tacoma (20-7) takes on defending State 4A champ Gonzaga Prep (23-0) Saturday at Mt. Spokane High School. It’s one of five games that day, tipping off at 6 p.m.

It was a smile of relief. Sure Lakeland boys basketball coach Dave Stockwell was overjoyed to see his team break a state tournament drought. But it was definitely a stress-relieving smile.

There’s not much that Mike McLean’s Post Falls boys basketball program hasn’t accomplished in less than a decade. The Trojans have captured a state championship and finished runner-up.

After having 20 hours to consider who they’re playing, Washington high school boys and girls basketball teams learned Sunday evening where and when they’re playing in state tournament openers Friday and Saturday. Call it Assignment Sunday.