It’s the mind that matters, at least to the Central Valley girls basketball team.

The third-ranked Bears, three days after a dismal loss to Ferris, led from the start on their way to a 52-47 win at Mead Friday night.

“I think we’re intimated by Ferris,” said Rikki Jackson, who scored 22 points, including a dagger-to-the-heart, NBA-depth 3-pointer with 2:47 to play. “They’re so physical and we can’t get past that … and we have to.”

The game put the Greater Spokane League back into a three-way tie for first with the Bears (12-2 overall, 10-2 GSL), Mead (14-2, 10-2) and Ferris (13-3, 10-2).

“It’s a mental thing,” CV coach Dale Poffenroth said. “I don’t think going in (against Ferris) they thought they’d win. This one they knew they were going to win.”

With Mead ice-cold - the Panthers would make 19 of 62 shots - CV’s lead hovered around seven points.

At halftime it was 27-19 with Mead 8 of 33. Then, with 3:04 left in the game, Allie Bailey converted a three-point play to pull Mead within 44-41. That’s when Jackson buried her 3 from the right wing.

“I was feeling it,” she said, “and I was wide open. We came out fired up and the defense kicked in. The press was working and the shots were dropping.”

Becky Slater’s 3-point attempt for Mead rimmed out and Liepman made two free throws to push the lead to eight with under 2 minutes left. The Panthers scratched back to within four with 32 seconds left when they were called for an intentional foul. Courtney Phinney missed the two free throws but on the ensuing possession made two to seal it.

Central Valley 52, Mead 47

Central Valley 15 12 10 15 - 52

Mead 7 12 11 17 - 47

CENTRAL VALLEY - Phinney 1 2-5 4, Wilson 1 1-2 3, Donaldson 0 0-0 0, Grafos 2 1-3 6, Jackson 7 5-6 22, Shoquist 0 0-0 0, Liepman 2 5-8 9, J.Coyle 3 0-0 8. Totals 16 14-24 52.

MEAD - Zelinski 2 0-0 4, Slater 1 0-0 3, Kehl 0 0-0 0, Bailey 7 4-8 18, Bennett 4 2-2 11, Leaf 0 0-0 0, Curry 2 1-5 5, Schuerman 3 0-2 6. Totals 19 7-17 47.

3-point goals - Grafos, Jackson 3, J.Coyle, Slater, Bennett. Total fouls - CV 15, Mead 17. Fouled out - None.

Ferris 44, Mt. Spokane 13

Karie Pruett had 12 points and three assists to lead the Saxons past the Wildcats (0-14, 0-11).

Mount Spokane 3 4 0 6 - 13

Ferris 15 10 12 7 - 44

MT. SPOKANE - Gemmill 0 0-0 0, Gee 0 0-0 0, Atwood 1 0-2 2, Anderson 0 0-0 0, Klobucher 1 0-0 2, Monroe 1 0-0 2, Louck 1 0-1 2, Kitchen 1 1-2 3, Brumleve 1 0-0 2. Totals 6-29 1-5 13.

FERRIS - Pruett 5 0-0 12, Lynn 0 0-0 0, Lytle 1 0-0 2, Morrisette 2 5-6 9, Brazzle 3 0-0 6, Martin 1 0-0 2, McCaffery 1 3-3 5, Benzel 0 0-0 0, Taylor 1 0-0 2, Foster 2 0-0 4, Gardner 0 0-0 0. Totals 17-45 8-9 44.

3-point goals - Pruett 2. Total fouls - MS 9, Ferris 9. Fouled out - None.

LC 51, Rogers 41

Shasta Glotfelty’s 12 points earned the Tigers (7-7, 7-5) a win over the Pirates (7-7, 6-6).

Rogers 4 9 15 13 - 41

Lewis and Clark 17 9 12 13 - 51

ROGERS - Abrahamson 3 6-10 12, Hatch 1 5-8 7, Zahrowski 0 0-0 0, Perry 1 1-2 3, Logue 2 1-2 5, Delger 1 0-0 2, Fairbanks 4 0-0 8, Bayne 2 0-0. Totals 14 13-22 41.

LEWIS AND CLARK - Kauppila 2 1-3 5, Hamre 2 0-0 4, Storey 2 0-0 4, Wendle 2 1-2 7, Travis 3 0-0 6, Marquess 1 3-4 5, Glotfelty 6 0-2 12, Thompson 1 1-4 3, Lopes 0 0-0 0, Ford 1 3-4 5. Totals 21 8-17 51.

3-point goals - Wendle. Total fouls - Rogers 19, LC 23. Fouled out - Fairbanks, Delger.

Shadle Park 44, NC 22

Sara Harchuck scored 16 points and the Highlanders (9-5, 7-5) beat the Indians (1-12, 1-11).

Shadle Park 9 15 18 2 - 44

North Central 6 3 5 8 - 22

SHADLE PARK - Ridings 1 0-2 3, Caldwell 3 0-1 6, Schurra 0 0-0 0, Fay 2 1-4 5, Harchuck 6 2-2 16, Stockman 0 0-0 0, Olzendam 2 0-2 4, Buckley 0 0-0 0, Alake 0 0-0 0, Etter 1 0-0 2, McGrath 1 0-0 2, Kiritz 3 0-0 6. Totals 19 3-11 44.

NORTH CENTRAL - Webber 0 0-0 0, Graesser 3 1-4 7, Ellenwood 0 1-3 1, Eschenbacher 1 0-0 2, Westland 0 0-1 0, White 0 0-0 0, Kennedy 4 0-2 8, Holdren 1 0-0 2, Stearns 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 2-10 22.

3-point goals - Ridings, Harchuck. Total fouls - SP 16, NC 14. Fouled out - None.

University 60, G-Prep 36

Vanessa Shelton had 12 points to carry the Titans (6-8, 6-6) past the Bullpups (4-10, 4-8) at the Arena.

University 16 16 5 23 - 60

Gonzaga 7 4 13 12 - 36

UNIVERSITY - Conant 1 0-0 3, Frost 2 1-2 5, Lektorich 5 0-0 11, Nelson 0 1-2 1, Oglesbee 2 0-2 4, Owen 2 1-2 5, Parker 0 0-1 0, Schroeder 2 2-2 6, Shelton 4 1-2 12, Valkenaar 3 0-1 7, Whitney 3 0-0 6. Totals 24 6-14 60.

GONZAGA PREP - Bloom 1 4-4 6, Laney 3 1-5 7, Green 0 0-0 0, Gibbon 0 2-2 2, Machtolf 0 0-1 0, Boren 0 1-3 1, Barnes 3 3-4 9, Lindstrom 0 1-2 1, So.Housam 3 3-9 9, St.Housam 0 0-0 0, Millersmith 0 0-0 0, O’Brien 0 1-6 1.Totals 10 16-36 36.

3-point goals - Valkenaar, Sheldon 3, Conant, Lektorich. Total fouls - University 27, Gonzaga 17. Fouled out - Valkenaar, Lindstrom. Technicals - Lindstrom.

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