Panthers Conquer Bullpups

GSL girls

So much has changed since Gonzaga Prep and Mead squared off in a battle of unbeaten Greater Spokane League girls basketball teams eight games ago.

Mead tweaked its lineup and attitude.

Gonzaga Prep is struggling with its confidence.

It showed Tuesday night when the Panthers won the rematch 57-47 in Prep’s Nick Scarpelli Gymnasium.

“It was our defense,” Mead senior Morgan Bennett said after scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. “We didn’t let them penetrate and we had less turnovers.”

Her coach, Beth Wing, added, “We just lost our heads that first time. This was just a good, good second game for us. You have to respect Gonzaga Prep, they’re good and athletic, but our girls worked hard.”

The game looked a lot like the first one, which Mead led big through three quarters before collapsing in the fourth. The Bullpups outscored the Panthers 24-6 in the last 8 minutes to win 54-50.

Since then, Mead is 7-1, Prep is 2-6.

“Mead did an excellent job of not letting us come back,” Prep coach Mike Arte said. “They went to their best players. The big difference is they kept attacking us.”

Game 1, Mead led 17-8 after one quarter, Tuesday it was 17-10. Game 1, Mead led 33-21 at halftime, Tuesday it was 33-19.

Bennett did the damage. After Prep took a 10-9 lead late in the first, Bennett scored eight straight points for the 17-10 lead. Then she scored the first hoop of the second quarter. Later, the Panthers scored the last six of the half for the 33-19 advantage.

This time, Prep’s run came in the third quarter. Mead was up 37-21 when the Bullpups came back. Sparked by Juliann Laney, who finished with 20 points and had 10 of her 13 rebounds in the second half, Prep scored 12 straight to close within 37-33. Mead’s Shannon Leaf stopped the string with a 3-pointer from the left wing.

It was 40-33 entering the fourth quarter and baskets by Laney and Carly Barnes pulled Prep with three at 42-39. An 8-2 run, with four points by Errin Smith, put Mead safely up 50-41 with 3:25 to play.

Bennett, who leads the GSL at 16 points a game, had 13 in the first contest, missing numerous layups. This time she hit 6 of 9 in the first half, including a pair of 3-pointers.

“I’ve been shooting extra in practice,” Bennett said. “I’ve been trying to touch the ball more. I’ve been able to step out more with Amy Bailey starting.”

Bailey, a 6-foot junior, had 10 rebounds and eight points. Her presence allows Bennett to move outside more often and help handle the ball.

Mead 57, Gonzaga Prep 47

Mead 17 16 7 17 - 57

Gonzaga Prep 10 9 14 14 - 47

Mead (14-3, 13-2) - Slater 0 0-0 0, Smith 2 0-2 4, G. Gonnella 0 2-2 2, Ferguson 2 0-0 5, Bennett 8 4-4 22, Bailey 3 2-2 8, Leaf 3 0-1 7, L. Gonnella 4 1-4 9. Totals 22 9-15 57.

Gonzaga Prep (11-6, 9-6) - Gillum 3 0-0 6, Laney 6 8-10 20, Umbdenstock 0 0-0 0, Heitman 0 1-2 1, Weir 0 0-0 0, Barnes 3 0-2 6, Gibbon 2 0-0 4, O’Brien 2 2-2 6, Housam 1 0-0 2, Wood 1 0-0 2, DeLeo 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 11-16 47.

3-point goals - Ferguson, Bennett 2, Leaf. Total fouls - Mead 17, Gonzaga Prep 18. Fouled out - Smith, Barnes. Technicals - none.

CV 68, Mt. Spokane 36

The seventh-ranked Bears broke the game open with three of their seven 3-pointers to defeat the Wildcats at Mt. Spokane and stay tied with Mead for first place.

Central Valley 10 28 18 12 - 68

Mt. Spokane 5 8 10 13 - 36

Central Valley (15-2, 13-2) - Phinney 5 5-5 17, Renslow 1 1-2 3, Wilson 2 0-0 5, Ferguson 6 0-0 14, Bragdon 2 0-2 4, Jewell 3 0-0 7, Liepman 2 0-0 4, Coyle 2 1-2 6, Wing 0 0-0 0, Wagner 2 2-3 6, Hatcher 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 9-14 68.

Mt. Spokane (1-16, 1-14) - Gee 2 0-0 4, Atwood 2 0-1 4, K. Bertholf 0 0-0 0, Monroe 2 0-0 4, Wyrick 3 0-2 6, Brumleve 1 1-2 3, Wetzel 4 1-2 9, Young 1 0-1 2, Olson 1 0-0 2, Lowe 0 0-0 0, Peterson 1 0-0 2, Bussiere 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 2-8 36.

3-point goals - Phinney 2, Ferguson 2, Wilson, Jewell, Coyle. Total fouls - Central Valley 14, Mt. Spokane 15. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

University 58, Ferris 54 (OT)

Sara Steblaj forced overtime with a baseline jumper with 10 seconds left and the Titans went on to end the visiting Saxons’ five-game winning streak.

Stephanie Shelton had a career-high 16 points for the Titans. U-Hi was 10 of 11 from the foul line after halftime. Casey Lektorich had seven rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Katie Foster had a career-high 13 points for Ferris.

Ferris 5 11 14 15 9 - 54

University 13 10 11 11 13 - 58

Ferris (9-8, 9-6) - Lynn 0 0-0 0, Foster 4 4-6 13, Garcea 0 0-0 0, Coombs 1 1-2 3, Kirstein 3 0-1 6, Brazzle 5 0-0 12, Benzel 2 0-0 5, McCaffery 4 3-3 11, Taylor 1 2-2 4. Totals 19 10-14 54.

University (11-6, 9-6) - Parker 0 0-0 0, Steblaj 3 3-4 9, Schroeder 0 0-0 0, Poole 3 0-0 9, Black 1 0-0 2, Valkenaar 1 2-2 4, Shelton 4 7-7 16, Arnold 3 0-2 6, Nelson 0 0-0 0, Lektorich 4 2-2 12. Totals 19 14-17 58.

3-point goals - Foster 2, Brazzle 2, Benzel, Poole 3, Lektorich 2, Shelton. Total fouls - Ferris 16, University 14. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

LC 60, Shadle Park 51

The Tigers took control in the fourth quarter, aided by a fullcourt press, to tie the visiting Highlanders for the sixth and final playoff berth.

Sarah Travis had 14 rebounds, eight on the offensive end, and Shasta Glotfelty added 12 boards for LC. Freshman teammate Sarah Bassett had eight assists to go with 12 points.

Shadle Park 8 23 8 12 - 51

Lewis and Clark 9 12 17 22 - 60

Shadle Park (9-8, 8-7) - Ridings 3 5-6 13, Caldwell 2 1-2 6, Schurra 2 2-4 7, Jones 0 0-0 0, Stockman 3 2-2 8, Alake 0 0-0 0, Forry 0 0-0 0, Peterson 0 0-0 0, McGrath 4 0-0 8, Kiritz 4 1-4 9. Totals 18 11-20 51.

Lewis and Clark (9-8, 8-7) - Gill 2 0-0 4, Bassett 4 4-4 12, Malone 1 4-4 6, Wendle 4 2-2 13, Travis 4 1-3 9, Dedas 0 0-0 0, Glotfelty 2 6-8 10, Babin 2 2-4 6. Totals 19 19-25 60.

3-point goals - Ridings 2, Caldwell, Schurra, Wendle 3. Total fouls - Shadle Park 19, Lewis and Clark 13. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

Rogers 43, North Central 32

The Pirates used 21 steals, six by Crystal Perry, to win their second game, breaking away from the visiting Indians in the fourth quarter.

Sarah Bayne had 11 rebounds for the Pirates, who had every player score.

North Central 8 6 8 10 - 32

Rogers 1 12 9 21 - 43

North Central (3-13, 3-12) - Chase 0 0-0 0, Graesser 0 1-2 1, Eschenbacher 4 0-0 8, Weber 1 0-0 2, Carter 1 0-0 2, Davis 0 0-0 0, Kennedy 0 0-0 0, Holdren 0 1-1 1, Zinnecker 0 1-2 1, Stearns 3 11-17 17. Totals 9 14-22 32.

Rogers (2-15, 2-13) - Davis 3 1-2 7, Lehman 2 0-0 4, Hose 1 0-0 2, Baldwin 1 2-2 4, Perry 2 0-1 4, Logue 2 0-0 4, Abrahamson 2 1-2 5, Bayne 3 7-10 13. Totals 16 11-17 43.

3-point goals - none. Total fouls - North Central 17, Rogers 17. Fouled out - none. Technicals - none.