Pups Refuse To Lose, Beat Rogers

GSL girls

Gonzaga Prep has been facing do-or-die games in the Greater Spokane League girls basketball race for a month, so Thursday’s regular-season ender at the Arena was nothing new.

The Bullpups responded with a solid 61-41 win over Rogers, keeping their season alive for at least one more game. Prep will face University Saturday at 7 at North Central to break a tie for sixth place with the winner advancing to the District 8 tournament next Tuesday.

“The girls have never said, ‘loser-out game,”’ Prep coach Mike Arte said. “The first part of the season we were so inconsistent. The main thing the last three weeks is we have been consistent and we’ve controlled the tempo of our games.”

In games against teams they were battling for the playoffs, the Bullpups went 4-0. That stretch started right about the time 6-foot point guard Juliann Laney could no longer be considered a freshman.

“This game everyone came out ready to play,” Laney said. “In other games, not everyone was ready.”

Facing a team they edged by one in the first round, the Bullpups (8-12 overall, 8-10 GSL) found themselves tied at 22 with 2:26 to play in the first half. A quick 9-0 burst, with Paulette Jordan scoring six points, proved to be critical.

Despite finishing with just 11 baskets in 48 shots, the Pirates (9-11, 7-11) kept the spread under 10 until Laney took control early in the fourth quarter.

Laney scored three straight baskets and reserve Carly Barnes had two, the second on a feed from Laney, that sealed the deal.

Laney had 12 points and seven assists, never looking like an incoming freshman from Sprague-Harrington or a player who was a wing before this season.

“The girls have included me really well and with the competition I don’t feel like a freshman,” she said. “I never played point guard before. I came down and played summer league with them and towards the end they put me at the point. It was hard at first. I wasn’t scoring as much.”

“We missed way too many shots in the paint,” Rogers coach Drew Vanderpool said. “We worked hard on defense, then we couldn’t convert in transition.”

Gonzaga Prep 61, Rogers 41

Gonzaga Prep 15 18 12 16 - 61

Rogers 12 12 10 7 - 41

GONZAGA PREP - Bloom 2 0-0 5, Lane 4 4-4 12, Green 4 0-0 8, Gibbon 2 2-2 7, Machtolf 1 0-0 2, Boren 1 0-0 2, Barnes 2 0-0 4, Jordan 4 4-5 13, Lindstrom 3 0-0 6, So.Housam 0 0-0 0, St.Housam 1 0-0 2, Millersmith 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 10-11 61. ROGERS - Abrahamson 2 12-14 16, Hatch 4 0-0 8, Zahrowski 0 0-0 0, Perry 0 2-2 2, Logue 1 1-2 3, Delger 1 1-2 3, Fairbanks 3 2-3 9, Bayne 0 0-2 0. Totals 11 18-25 41. 3-point goals - Bloom, Gibbon, Jordan, Fairbanks. Total fouls - GP 17, Rogers 15. Fouled out - none.

Ferris 59, Lewis and Clark 37

Sophomore Jenny Benzel scored eight points in the first quarter and league-scoring champion Amy George scored 15 points in the first half as the Saxons (17-3, 16-2) held on to their share of first place by rolling past the Tigers (9-11, 9-9) at the Arena.

George finished with 17 to edge Rikki Jackson, of co-champion CV, by a half-point in the scoring race.

Ferris 19 13 15 12 - 59

Lewis and Clark 9 9 6 13 - 37

FERRIS - Lynn 0 0-0 0, Pruett 1 0-0 2, Lytle 0 0-0 0, George 6 3-7, 17, Morrisette 3 0-0 6, Kirstein 0 0-0 0, Brazzel 4 1-2 11, Martin 2 0-0 4, Foster 0 0-0 0, McCaffery 2 0-0 4, Benzel 5 2-2 13, Taylor 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 6-11 59. LEWIS AND CLARK - Hamre 1 1-2 3, Wendle 2 0-0 4, Travis 0 0-2 0, Marquess 0 5-6 5, Glotfelty 2 2-4 6, Thompson 3 0-0 6, Hansen 0 0-1 0, Lopes 0 0-0 0, Ford 5 3-4 13. Totals 13 11-19 37.

3 point goals - George 2, Brazzel 2, Benzel. Total fouls - Ferris 19, LC 12. Fouled out - none.

University 53, Mt. Spokane 17

The visiting Titans (8-12, 8-10) defeated the Wildcats (0-20, 0-18) to tie G-Prep for sixth place and earn a shot at a district berth.

U-Hi swept G-Prep in league games, winning by an average of 19 points. They play Saturday at 7 p.m. at NC.

University 8 11 18 16 - 53

Mt. Spokane 2 1 6 8 - 17

UNIVERSITY - Conant 1 0-0 2, Frost 1 0-0 2, Lektorich 1 1-1 5, Nelson 0 5-6 5, Oglesbee 6 5-8 17, Owen 3 0-0 6, Parker 2 0-0 4, Schroeder 2 0-0 4, Shelton 3 0-0 6, Valkenaar 1 0-0 2, Whitney 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 10-14 53.

MT. SPOKANE - Gemmill 0 0-0 0, Gee 1 0-0 2, Atwood 1 0-0 2, Anderson 0 0-1 0, Klobucher 1 1-3 3, Monroe 3 0-0 6, Louck 2 0-0 4, Brumleve 0 0-2 0. Totals 8 1-6 17.

3-point goals - Lektorich. Total fouls - U-Hi 10, Mt. Spokane 17. Fouled out - Atwood.

Central Valley 63, Shadle Park 45

The sixth-ranked Bears (18-2, 16-2) broke out early against the Highlanders (11-9, 9-9) to ensure their share of first.

Central Valley 22 16 17 8 - 63

Shadle Park 13 11 13 8 - 45

CENTRAL VALLEY - Phinney 1 1-4 3, Wilson 0 1-2 1, Donaldson 1 0-0 2, Grafos 5 3-3 16, Jackson 5 1-2 15, Ferguson 0 0-0 0, Shoquist 1 2-2 4, Liepman 1 0-0 2, J.Coyle 7 2-3 18, P.Bragdon 0 2-2 2.Totals 21 12-18 63.

SHADLE PARK - Ridings 0 1-4 1, Caldwell 2 3-4 7, Schurra 2 0-0 4, Fay 0 0-0 0, Harchuck 5 3-6 13, Stockman 1 2-4 4, Olzendam 1 0-1 2, Buckley 0 0-0 0, Alake 2 2-3 6, Etter 2 1-2 5, McGrath 1 1-2 3, Kiritz 0 0-0 0.Totals 16 13-26 45.

3-point goals - Grafos 3, Jackson 4, J.Coyle 2. Total fouls - CV 21, Shadle Park 17. Fouled out - None.

Mead 58, North Central 26

The Panthers (15-5, 15-3) raced to a 17-4 lead and 10 different players scored in the win over the Indians (2-18, 2-16).

Mead 17 11 13 17 - 58

North Central 4 9 4 9 - 26

MEAD - Zelinski 2 0-0 6, Slater 1 2-2 4, Kehl 0 2-2 2, Ferguson 1 1-2 3, Bailey 4 0-0 8, Bennett 4 4-4 13, Leaf 4 0-0 10, Curry 0 3-4 3, Schuerman 2 1-1 5, Myers 1 2-3 4, Gallagher 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 15-18 58.

NORTH CENTRAL - Graesser 1 0-2 3, Ellenwood 1 1-2 3, Eschenbacher 0 0-0 0, Westland 0 0-0 0, White 3 0-0 6, Kennedy 3 0-0 6, Holdren 0 2-2 2, Stearns 3 0-0 6. Totals 11 3-6 26.

3-point goals - Zelinski 2, Bennett, Leaf 2, Graesser. Total fouls - Mead 6, North Central 9. Fouled out - None.

, DataTimes