Score One For The Long Shots All-Area Team Makes Leap In Tradition By Trading Muscle For Outside Touch

This year we give you lots of bang, but no bangers.

The Spokesman-Review 1998 Washington All-Area high school basketball teams have everything except big bangers inside.

The two biggest girls, repeaters Brianne Jolley of Lakeside, a 5-foot-11 senior, and 6-1 junior Carey Sauer of Newport can rebound but are probably more valuable working outside.

The same with the boys. Brent Cummings of Pullman, a 6-6 junior, has a great outside touch, as does 6-5 senior Pat Luce of Lewis and Clark and 6-4 senior Paul Malisani of Cheney.

But they all can jump. And with all the firepower, we’ll take our chances with this group.

The players were selected after watching numerous games and consulting a large group of hoop fanatics and coaches. The area team represents The Spokesman-Review circulation area in Washington.

Strong arguments can be made for the many players we considered but didn’t select, but it’s hard to argue with the accomplishments of our final team.

Jolley averaged 19.9 points a game for the best girls team at any level in Eastern Washington. The Eagles won the State 2A title in Jolley’s fourth trip to the finals, where she was named MVP. Sauer outscored Jolley in the Great Northern League at 23.3 ppg.

Ferris’ Amy George, a 5-10 senior, and Central Valley’s Rikki Jackson, a 5-9 senior, shared Greater Spokane League MVP honors after finishing 1-2 in the scoring race at just over 15 ppg and helping their teams get to the State 4A tournament.

The most successful of all, though, is Shannon Russel, a 5-10 senior. She led Ritzville in scoring at 13.8 ppg, and was the high scorer when the Broncos won their 39th straight game and their second consecutive State B title.

Gunner Olsen had the best season among the boys. An explosive 6-3 senior, he averaged 23.6 ppg while leading Curlew to its first State B tournament in 26 years. The Cougars finished sixth.

Cummings also got Pullman to state with a 22.3 scoring average.

Chris Allen, a 6-foot point guard for North Central led the GSL in scoring at more than 17 points a game and was named MVP, despite the Indians missing the playoffs.

Luce was consistent, averaging 11.8 to lead a team that went from 3-17 his junior year to a regional berth.

Malisani led Cheney to within a game of the state tournament a year after being a key component of the Blackhawks’ runner-up finish in the final AA tourney.

He was the team’s leading scorer at 14.4 ppg., one of three strong rebounders and the go-to guy at crunch time.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos (1 Color)

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: All-area basketball teams Girls Player School Ht Year Shannon Russel Ritzville 5-10 Senior Rikki Jackson Central Valley 5-9 Senior Amy George Ferris 5-10 Senior Carey Sauer Newport 6-1 Junior Brianne Jolley Lakeside 5-11 Senior

Boys Player School Ht Year Chris Allen North Central 6-0 Senior Pat Luce Lewis and Clark 6-5 Senior Brent Cummings Pullman 6-6 Junior Gunner Olsen Curlew 6-3 Senior Paul Malisani Cheney 6-4 Senior