Wv Claims Game, Throne In Battle With Rival Ev

Boys Border League

West Valley post player Chris Gregg decided it was better being on the basketball floor than sitting next to his coach.

The result was a big second half that helped the Eagles to a 77-67 victory over East Valley on Friday in the Golden Throne spirit game.

“Coach told me, ‘go after the boards, son,”’ said Gregg, “and if I got the open shot to take it.”

Thus properly instructed, he responded with six second-half rebounds and 13 of his 16 points.

Gregg, a 6-foot-4 junior, is one of three young players who have been charged by coach Joe Feist to provide an inside dimension to the Eagles.

“We have a good perimeter game,” said Feist. “We can be better if the inside guys do things.”

Against EV, the trio, including junior Ryan Spivey and sophomore John Focht, combined for 29 points and 17 rebounds.

“They played hard and did a better job inside,” admitted Feist.

It was a barrage of 3-point baskets, however, that got the Eagles (9-9 overall and 7-7 in the Border League) off on the right foot early.

Brad Groh and Eric Deno had two 3s apiece and Kris Sly one as West Valley took a 19-14 first-quarter lead.

Focht and Spivey boosted the Eagle advantage to nine points and they led 34-24 at halftime.

The Knights (2-15, 1-11) rallied behind spectacular sophomore Andrew Burgess, averaging nearly 27 points in his last eight games.

WV’s defense exploited a tendency that got him in early foul trouble, but he scored 12 third-quarter points to bring the Knights to within five.

But Gregg’s 11 fourth-quarter points put the Eagles up by as many as 15 and gave them a sweep of the season series.

Five Eagles finished in double figures. Groh had 17 including four treys, point guard Sly had 14, Deno scored 11 and Spivey 10.

EV’s Burgess finished with 17 points and Mike Sterling, directing the offense from the high post, had a season-high 13 for the Knights.

And the Eagles ended a three-year run of EV success by recapturing the Golden Throne spirit award.

West Valley 77, East Valley 67

East Valley 14 10 22 21 - 67

West Valley 19 15 19 24 - 77

EAST VALLEY - Henderson 3, Smith 2, Sitton 8, Quirk 9, Burgess 17, Shogren 5, Sterling 13, Storey 4, Pooley 0, Horgan 6.

WEST VALLEY - Kopp 0, Sly 14, Allen 2, Deno 11, Browning 4, Groh 17, Brosvik 0, Gregg 16, Spivey 10, Lybarger 0, Hilsabeck 0, Focht 3.

Coeur d’Alene 56, Lewiston 50 (OT)

At Coeur d’Alene, Casey Hoorelbeke made a game-tying putback with 1 second left in regulation and the Vikings won in overtime over the Bengals (14-4, 11-3).

It was such a big win that CdA took command of two leagues - the Border and Inland Empire. In the Border, CdA (14-4 overall) improved to 12-2 and assumed sole possession of first place.

If CdA wins one of its remaining two games, the Vikings will host the Region I Tournament, consisting of the five Idaho schools that make up the IEL.

Lewiston 9 13 5 23 0 - 50

Coeur d’Alene 17 10 10 13 6 - 56

LEWISTON - Egland 9, Pierce 6, Maurer 5, Eck 9, Johnson 14, Holmes 3, Couch 2, Klamper 2.

COEUR d’ALENE - Chambers 5, Ji. Rupp 13, Wood 2, Hoorelbeke 16, O’Dowd 16, DeArmond 2, Sigler 2.

Cheney 70, Clarkston 54

James Kiger scored 26 points and teammate Chris Bond got half that many to lead the Blackhawks (14-4, 11-3) over the Bantams (6-10, 3-10) in Clarkston.

Clarkston stayed with Cheney for a quarter, but the Blackhawks started opening things up in the second quarter.

Sam Nielson led Clarkston with 18 points and Rodney Harrington added 15.

Cheney 13 18 15 24 - 70

Clarkston 12 13 10 19 - 54

CHENEY - Stiffler 6, Eggart 2, Oyolokor 3, Goetz 3, Donnelly 2, Ervin 6, Berryhill , Caskey 0, Malisani 9, Kiger 26, Bond 13.

CLARKSTON - Nielson 18, Olson 5, Norland 2, Hays 0. Tucker 4, Smith 0, Blankinship 5, Fuchs 2, Harrington 15, Cummings 3, Cridlebaugh 0.

, DataTimes