Joe Deutsch Medical Lake Year: Senior Sport: Basketball Position: Post

Thu., March 16, 1995

Few area boys basketball teams considered this a standout season.

The Greater Spokane League sent no team to the State AAA tournament for the first time since 1979. Frontier League tournament champion Colville finished 0-2 at the State AA tourney. Garfield-Palouse (fifth place) had the best finish among area teams at a State B.

The task of upholding the area’s honor fell to Medical Lake and its scintillating senior, Joe Deutsch.

Deutsch was the leading rebounder (14.5 per game) and fourth-leading scorer (18.3 per game) at the March 1-4 Class A tournament in Tacoma. The Cardinals, who lost the championship game to Cashmere, matched their best performance at state.

Now the Cardinals must move ahead without Deutsch, a fact that weighs heavily on coach Dave Olzendam’s mind.

“He’s going to be missed a ton,” Olzendam said. “He’s meant everything to this program the last four years - his leadership, his will to win and his great team play.”

Deutsch will leave as the school’s No. 2 all-time scorer (1,172 points) and rebounder (863). A starter since his sophomore year, Deutsch is the Cardinals’ all-time leader at state for scoring, rebounding and steals.

Olzendam said he expects Deutsch to stay close to home when he plays college ball.

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Joe Deutsch Medical Lake Year: Senior Sport: Basketball Position: Post

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