Looking Back And Ahead At Gsl Basketball
The second half of the Greater Spokane League basketball season kicks off Friday, literally, with the North Central-Shadle Park Groovy Shoes rivalry.
Because the first half went so close to form, dishing out midway awards is difficult, but in keeping with tradition, we’ll try anyway.
MVP boys: First-half leader Ferris is so balanced that each starter has led the team in scoring at least twice. Second-place Shadle Park needs its sixth man as much as starters Chris Anderson and Nate Dunham. Going down the line, each team has more than one player they depend on, yet maybe no one who is indispensable, until you come to Rogers’ De’Andrey Mosby. But the Pirates don’t have enough wins. Because Ferris is unbeaten, ranked second and eyeing a high finish at state, we’ll pick a Saxon - and point guard Justin Bursch holds the key.
MVP girls: Mead is too balanced and hasn’t been challenged enough to depend on one leader, though Holly Turner would probably be that player. Central Valley’s obvious choice is Crystal Lee, but everyone knows that, therefore, high-scoring Andrea Kallas or point guard Rikki Jackson could be the MVP. Give it to Jackson, who distributes the ball to the scorers. Prep’s twin towers of Jennifer Williams and Theresa Palmer cancel each other out. Becki Huddle’s LC team doesn’t have enough wins.
Surprise impact players: For the boys, it’s easy. Charlie Gordon has become a force in the middle for Ferris. Kallas edges Mead’s Allie Bailey, showing hard work pays off.
Biggest surprises, team: Give the nod to the CV boys, who emerged from the first half in third place in what is going to be a battle between the Bears, Mead, U-Hi and Prep for district seeding. The Rogers girls are going to make the district tournament for the first time since 1989. The fifth-place Pirates are only five points from being in third.
Coaches of the year: CV’s Rick Sloan has his boys team in third without a double-figure scorer. Rogers’ Drew Vanderpool shows that last year’s award for the girls wasn’t an accident.
Key games, boys: Ferris is at Shadle Park Tuesday at 6:15. Keep an eye out anytime CV, Mead, U-Hi and Prep match up as they jockey for position.
Key games, girls: Can CV give Mead a good game on Feb. 4 at CV at 8? Can Prep reverse its two-point loss to CV when they meet at CV at 8 on Feb. 11? Remember, the top two teams earn a berth in the regional tournament. Can Rogers reverse its two-point loss to Ferris (Feb. 6, 6:15 at Ferris) or its one-pointer to Prep (Feb. 14 at Prep, 8:30)? And the battle for the final district berth between LC, U-Hi and Shadle Park is up for grabs.
, DataTimes