Strong Finish Lifts Ferris Over Prep

GSL boys

Once Wayne Gilman fixed his mistake, there was no stopping Ferris. The Saxons prevailed 67-50 by outscoring Gonzaga Prep 33-16 over the last 11 minutes, rolling to a Greater Spokane League boys basketball victory at the Arena on Friday.

“I thought we did a real poor job of taking care of the ball and attacking their pressure defense in the first half,” Gilman, the Ferris coach, said. “That was mostly my fault because the way we were attacking wasn’t a good idea.”

The Saxons (2-0, 6-0) made an adjustment at halftime - starting the offense more toward the middle of the court and using the high post - and stepped up the defense to take control. Ferris broke away from a 34-34 tie by turning turnovers on four consecutive Prep possessions into seven points in a minute and the Bullpups (1-1, 3-1) never recovered.

“Turnovers are the first thing that killed us,” Prep coach Mike Haugen said. “Our confidence was shook.”

Ferris scored 11 points off seven Prep turnovers in the third quarter, putting up 21 shots in that time for a 45-38 lead - a stark contrast to the 18 shots for all of the first half when the Saxons had 12 turnovers and trailed 28-25.

“The key to getting the lead was Justin (Bursch) got a couple of steals pressuring the point and Craig (Henneberry) did a good job stepping into the lane on the wing,” Gilman said. “That’s what changed it from a back and fourth game. That carried over and we started passing better.”

Bursch turned a Henneberry steal into a three-point play and a 39-34 lead with 2:49 to go in the third quarter, then seconds later stole the ball for an uncontested layup. Leonard Harmon had started the run with an offensive rebound basket, and Scott Stocum completed it with two free throws, making it 43-34 with 1:48 left.

Prep’s offense was rattled to the point of making just 6 of 32 shots in the second half, including 4 of 26 over the final 11 minutes.

“The difference was, in the first half we made the shot and in the second half we didn’t,” Haugen said. “We probably got more offensive rebounds in the second half - we just didn’t put anything in. My gut feeling is, we didn’t get as easy shots, but we did get the shots.”

The Saxons got plenty of easy shots, with Stocum making 5 of 18 and all eight free throws for 18 points, Harmon going 8 of 17 for 17 points and Bursch adding 6 of 9 for 14. Overall, Ferris was 24 of 49, plus 17 of 21 from the line.

“The first half was really scary,” Bursch, the point guard, said. “I just wasn’t mentally in the game in the first half. In the second half, I had to get the ball to my players. We just decided it was time to step up.”

Brian Herrin had 16 points and Paul Sweeny 11 for Prep.

Ferris 67, Gonzaga Prep 50

Gonzaga Prep 13 15 10 12 - 50

Ferris 15 10 20 22 - 67

GONZAGA PREP Kocharhook 1 0-0 2, Dixson 0 2-2 2, Thielman 2 0- 0 4, Powell 1 3-4 5, P.Sweeny 4 2-2 11, Herrin 7 1-2 16, McFarland 3 2-4 8, Hartnett 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 10-14 50. FERRIS KBursch 6 1-1 14, Servine 2 5-6 9, Brown 0 0-0 0, Hardan 1 0-0 3, Lucke 0 0-0 0, Henneberry 1 0-0 2, Harmon 8 1-2 17, Stocum 5 8-8 18, Weatherred 1 2-4 4. Totals 24 17-21 67.

3-point goals - Sweeny, Herrin, Bursch, Hardan. Total fouls - GP 18, Ferris 15. Fouled out - none.

University 46, Central Valley 39

At University, Craig Allen grabbed 12 rebounds and Joe Jeffries scored 11 points as the Titans (1-1, 3-2) beat the Bears (1-1, 3-2) to end a five-game losing streak against their Valley rivals dating back to their first meeting in the 1992-93 season.

Corby Schuh led Central Valley with 17 points, but the Bears shot just 12-36 from the field. It was only the second time University beat CV in 21 league games.

Central Valley 15 5 9 10 - 39

University 10 9 12 15 - 46

CENTRAL VALLEY Nesbitt 2, Millar 0, R.Smith 3, Schuh 17, Abrams 0, Allen 4, Platt 5, Hinckley 4, May 4.

UNIVERSITY - Jeffries 11, Fryer 0, Massey 6, Wetzel 0, Hineman 10, Carlson 10, Flanery 0, Wilson 4, Allen 5.

North Central 55, Shadle Park 48

At the Arena, Marshall Kuhlman and Jerry Holdren each scored 18 points as the Indians (1-0, 4-1) downed the Highlanders (1-1, 2-4).

Holdren also grabbed 10 rebounds for NC, while teammate Adam Hieb had five assists.

North Central 11 6 16 22 - 55

Shadle Park 6 8 11 23 - 48

NORTH CENTRAL Plaster 0, Turner 0, Blanchat 3, Blotsky 0, Kuhlman 18, Holdren 18, Hieb 13, Young 0, Kapelke 3, Eschenbacher 0.

SHADLE PARK Cook 15, Kingsbury 1, Pate 9, Baune 3, Glanzer 0, Anderson 9, Mohr 0, Augistine 8, Hipps 3.

3-point goals - Kuhlman 3, Anderson. Total fouls - NC 14, SP 23. Fouled out - Kingsbury.

Lewis and Clark 67, Rogers 53

The Tigers (1-1, 4-1) overcame a slow start with a big second quarter and pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Pirates (0-2, 1-5) at LC. LC trailed 12-7 after one quarter, but rallied to take a 29-27 lead at the half. The Tigers then secured the win with a 20-12 advantage in the final 8 minutes.

Mike Homer had 25 to lead LC. The Tigers made 19 of 31 free throws, but the Pirates only got to the line 14 times and made six.

Rogers 12 15 14 12 - 53

Lewis and Clark 7 22 18 20 - 67

ROGERS Browning 4 0-1 10, Loffredi 2 0-1 4, Goldsmith 2 0-1 5, Cuculich 1 0-0 2, Oglesbee 1 0-0 2, Mosby 0 0-2 0, Hassett 0 0-0 0, Dainty 1 1-1 3, Pugh 1 5-6 7, Smith 6 0-1 12, Hemphill 0 0-0 0, Salgado 4 0-1 8. Totals 22 6-14 53.

LEWIS AND CLARK Bowman 1 1-4 3, Canton 0 0-0 0, Homer 10 4-7 25, Lynch 2 5-6 9, Thompson 0 0-0 0, Morse 0 0-0 0, Etter 3 3-4 10, Vick 0 0-0 0, Adams 0 2-2 2, Mencke 6 4-6 16, Stack 1 0-2 2. Totals 23 19-31 67.

3-point goals -Browning 2, Goldsmith, Homer, Etter. Total fouls -Rogers 24, LC 21. Fouled out -Salgado.

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