Ccs Takes Aim At Conference Tournament

Bruce Johnson wants back in.

After a year’s absence from the NWAACC tournament, Johnson is hoping his Community Colleges of Spokane team qualifies for the tournament, which begins March 6 at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Wash.

But first up are the Eastern Division playoffs, which match the No. 2 Sasquatch (19-9, 7-5) against Wenatchee Valley (14-14, 7-5). Game time is 7 p.m. Thursday at CCS. The teams have split the season series.

“If we rebound, play defense and shoot better than 40 percent we’ll be OK,” said Johnson, whose teams have traditionally qualified for the NWAACC tournament.

The Knights have four players who are 6-foot-1 or taller. They’re led by 6-2 post Aimee Sorenson, who was selected to the Eastern region first team.

CCS’s most productive players have been Alana Carlander of Riverside High School (12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Shelley Massingale of Kennewick (11.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Kelli Pilkington of Shadle Park (10.0, 5.4 rpg).

Massingale was named to the Eastern region second team.

In the other semifinal game, No. 1 Columbia Basin (11-11, 9-3) plays host to No. 4 Blue Mountain (15-10, 7-5). The highest seed remaining will host the conference final Saturday.

Columbia Basin already clinched a spot into the NWAACC tournament by winning the division.

Gonzaga off to West Coast Conference tourney

“We need to pick up our intensity tenfold,” said Gonzaga coach Kellee Barney, whose seventh-place Bulldogs (4-22, 2-12) meet second-place San Francisco (22-5, 11-3) in the first round of the WCC tournament Thursday in Los Angeles.

The Dons, a final-16 team in last year’s NCAA Tournament, beat GU this year 54-41 here and 76-47 at San Francisco.

USF is led by junior Brittany Lindhe (14.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg). Andrea Kagie leads the conference from the 3-point arc, hitting 56 of 123 for 45.5 percent.

Portland’s Hepton questionable

Portland’s Kristin Hepton suffered a severe concussion and jaw injury in the Pilots’ last regular-season game against Saint Mary’s.

“We’re hoping she gets clearance to play (in the WCC tournament),” said coach Jim Sollars, whose No. 1 Pilots (25-1, 14-0) open against No. 8 San Diego (5-21, 1-13). Hepton was elbowed in the jaw with 4:06 left in the first half and received stitches to the corner of her lip. Her status will be evaluated this morning.

The 6-1 forward dropped from first to second nationally in free-throw shooting, shooting 69 of 77 for 89.6 percent. The player ahead of her is from Bowling Green University of Ohio and is 111 of 123 for 90.2 percent.

Hepton (12.5 ppg) was named to the All-WCC team this week. Her coach was named coach of the year and teammate Deana Lansing was selected player of the year.

Ludwicki suspension lifted

Washington State’s Jennifer Ludwicki, who was suspended for disciplinary reasons, has rejoined the team. The freshman guard missed last weekend’s road trip to Stanford and California. The Cougars (9-14, 3-11) play their final two home games, Thursday vs. Arizona (20-5, 10-4) and Saturday vs. Arizona State (8-16, 2-12). .. Washington starting forward Amber Hall (13.2 ppg) fractured her left ankle in Saturday’s loss at Stanford and will miss the rest of the season. Hall was averaging 13.2 points in her second season with the Huskies. .. Stanford’s Kate Starbird of Tacoma is among the finalists for the 1997 Boost-Naismith college basketball player of the year award.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Area leaders Scoring Player, school FG-FGA FT-FTA 3pt. Avg. Alli Nieman, UI 150-299 135-178 12 18.6 Jen Tissue, Whit. 118-278 66-76 22 14.7 Tanya Kirk, EWU 127-385 67-96 34 14.2 Rebecca Moore, Whit. 110-313 52-73 48 13.3 Yvonne Kunze, WSU 118-232 49-82 0 12.4 Amy Saneholtz, WSU 97-197 78-116 0 11.8 Shana Ray, EWU, 74-194 45-67 3 11.5 Sherri Northington, Whit. 98-199 60-106 1 10.7 Joanna Smith, WSU 86-204 14-24 60 10.7 Rachel Ferguson, EWU 88-181 80-102 0 10.2

Rebounding Northington, Whitworth, 9.9 (235); Nieman, Idaho, 9.5 (227); Kirk, EWU, 7.1 (178); Andrea Sherer, Whitworth, 6.5 (142); Kunze, WSU, 6.0 (137).

Assists Jade Hyett, WSU, 7.9 (182); Jennifer Sutter, EWU, 5 (120); Tissue, Whitworth, 4.9 (108); Kathryn Gussett, UI, 3.3 (78); Moore, Whitworth, 2.9 (70).

Steals Hyett, WSU, 4.6 (106); Tissue, Whitworth, 2.8 (61); Moore, Whit., 1.9 (46); Ari Skorpik, UI, 1.8 (44); Gussett, UI, 1.9 (46).

Schedule Thursday: Gonzaga vs. San Fran. at West Coast Conference tournament, 2 p.m.; Eastern at Idaho St., 6:30 p.m.; Idaho at North Texas, 3 p.m.; Arizona at WSU, 7 p.m. Saturday: Idaho at New Mex. St. 4 p.m.; ASU at WSU, 7 p.m.

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