Comeback Rescues G-Prep

GSL girls

Against Rogers, it may be inevitable. Against Mead, it’s improbable.

But for the second straight game, Gonzaga Prep managed to come back from a big deficit to keep its perfect record intact.

Unlike winless Rogers, this time the opponent was league favorite Mead, on its own court no less, that coughed up a big lead to the hard-charging Bullpups. Prep outscored Mead 24-6 in the fourth quarter for a 54-50 victory Tuesday night that left the sixth-ranked Bullpups as the only unbeaten team in Greater Spokane League girls basketball.

“I don’t know what happened for three quarters,” said Juliann Laney, Prep’s sophomore leader, who had 22 points on 10 of 11 shooting from the foul line and eight rebounds. “They outhustled us. We panicked and they hit four 3-pointers in the first half. We need something to get us going. We had a lot of people step up.”

Only 9 of 10 foul shooting kept Prep in the game in the first half, which 10th-ranked Mead led 33-21. Courtney Ferguson, who scored the first eight points of the game for the Panthers, scored their first five in the third and Mead eased into the fourth quarter up 44-30.

Then Laney came out of a scramble with the ball and converted that into a three-point play. Rebecca Wood scored underneath and Whitney Gibbon turned a turnover into a layup. Laney hit two free throws, Carly Barnes, who had all nine of her points in the second half, added a layup and Laney made a layup. That’s 13 points in 2:17 and Mead didn’t even get off a shot.

Mead led 44-43 with 5:09 to play when Shannon Leaf stopped the bleeding with a shot from the right corner, the last of her 12 points. Amy Bailey followed with a steal and a layup for a 48-43 lead.

But Prep didn’t fold. Laney made a foul shot, Sarah O’Brien, who had 10 points, hit a 3-pointer from the top-left following a turnover and Barnes capped a fastbreak to put Prep up for the first time, 49-48 with 2:16 to play.

Mead missed three free throws before Errin Smith hit a pair to make it 50-49 with 1:06 left. But Prep closed out the game hitting 5 of 6 from the line, four by Laney, for the win.

“You really need to give Gonzaga Prep credit,” Mead coach Beth Wing said. “We were in a good situation and allowed them to frazzle us. We’ve got to hit our free throws and remain calm.”

The Bullpups hit 7 of 8 field goals in the fourth quarter after entering 9 of 29. Prep was 20 of 25 from the line, Mead 5 of 13, 2 of 9 in the second half. The Bullpups had 16 turnovers, just one in the fourth quarter. Seven of Mead’s 13 turnovers were in the final quarter.

Ferguson only scored those quick 13 points and team leader Morgan Bennett was held to 13, with her only shots of the fourth quarter a pair of missed free throws.

“That’s a lot of character,” Prep coach Mike Arte said. “That’s two games in a row. They sure didn’t play like freshmen, sophomores and juniors. They’ve come a long way in the last month.”

Especially in the fourth quarter.

Gonzaga Prep 54, Mead 50

Gonzaga Prep 8 13 9 24 - 54

Mead 17 16 11 6 - 50

Gonzaga Prep (9-0, 7-0) - Gillum 0 0-0 0, Laney 6 10-11 22, Umbdenstock 0 2-2 2, Heitman 0 0-0 0, Leonard 0 0-0 0, Weir 0 0-0 0, Barnes 3 2-4 9, Gibbon 2 0-0 4, O’Brien 3 3-4 10, Bacon 0 0-0 0, Housam 0 0-0 0, Wood 1 2-2 4, DeLeo 1 1-2 3. Totals 16 20-25 54.

Mead (7-2, 6-1) - Ready 0 0-0 0, Strait 0 0-0 0, Slater 1 0-1 2, Smith 2 2-2 6, G. Gonnella 0 0-0 0, Wolverton 0 0-0 0, Ferguson 5 0-0 13, Shea 0 0-0 0, Bennett 5 3-8 13, Baily 1 0-2 2, Leaf 5 0-0 12, McClinton 0 0-0 0, L. Gonnella 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 5-13 50.

3-point goals - Barnes, O’Brien, Ferguson 3, Leaf 2. Total fouls - Gonzaga Prep 14 Mead 18. Fouled out - Smith. Technicals - None.

CV 75, Mt. Spokane 30

Jenny Wilson scored 21 points and Kendra Ferguson added 19 as the fifth-ranked Bears started fast and pulled away from the visiting Wildcats.

Mt. Spokane 11 7 6 6 - 30

Central Valley 20 24 20 11 - 75

Mt. Spokane (1-8, 1-6) - Becker 0 0-0 0, Gee 2 0-0 4, Atwood 2 2-2 6, K. Bertholf 0 0-0 0, Nikula 3 0-0 6, Monroe 0 0-2 0, Wyrick 0 0-0 0, Patrick 2 1-2 5, Kitchen 0 1-2 1, Wetzel 4 0-0 8. Totals 13 4-8 30.

Central Valley (8-1, 6-1) - Renslow 0 0-0 0, Wilson 9 0-0 21, Ferguson 7 2-4 19, Bragdon 2 1-2 5, Jewell 4 2-2 10, Liepman 3 0-0 6, Coyle 4 0-0 11, Wagner 1 1-1 3. Totals 30 6-9 75.

3-point goals - Wilson 3, Ferguson 3, Coyle 3. Total fouls - Mt. Spokane 11, Central Valley 12. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

Shadle Park 68, LC 44

Amy Ridings, who had 21, and Aubrie Caldwell combined for 39 points, helping the host Highlanders, who scored 22 points in each of the middle quarters, overrun the Tigers.

Lewis and Clark 14 11 6 13 - 44

Shadle Park 13 22 22 11 - 68

Lewis and Clark (4-5, 3-4) - Gill 2 0-2 4, Bassett 3 1-2 7, Malone 1 0-0 2, Wendle 2 2-2 7, Dressel 1 0-0 2, Travis 5 2-3 12, Dedas 2 0-0 4, Glotfelty 1 0-0 2, Babin 2 0-0 4, Wohl 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 5-9 44.

Shadle Park (5-4, 4-3) - Ridings 6 6-6 21, Caldwell 7 2-2 18, Schurra 2 0-1 4, Jones 1 0-1 2, Ladish 1 0-1 2, Steckler 1 0-0 3, Stockman 2 4-4 8, Alake 1 0-0 2, Forry 2 0-2 4, Peterson 1 0-0 2, McGrath 0 0-0 0, Kiritz 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 12-16 68.

3-point goals - Wendle, Ridings 3, Caldwell 2, Steckler. Total fouls - Lewis and Clark 17, Shadle 10. Fouled out - None. Technicals - Shurra.

Ferris 59, University 53 (OT)

Jenny Benzel, who had 17 points, was perfect on three 3-pointers, the last with 1:40 left in overtime, to give the Saxons the lead for good. Ferris hit 5 of 8 free throws in overtime.

Sara Steblaj had a career-high 21 points, including a baseline jumper with 32 seconds left to force OT.

University 8 12 13 16 5 - 53

Ferris 17 13 4 15 10 - 59

University (5-4, 3-4) - Parker 0 0-0 0, Steblaj 10 1-3 21, Schroeder 2 0-0 4, Poole 0 0-0 0, Black 1 0-0 2, Valkenaar 1 0-0 2, Shelton 3 3-4 10, Arnold 3 5-7 11, Nelson 0 0-0 0, Lektorich 1 0-0 3. Totals 21 9-14 53.

Ferris (3-6, 3-4) - Foster 3 6-6 12, Garcea 0 0-0 0, Coombs 6 2-6 14, Kirstein 3 2-4 8, Brazzle 0 0-0 0, Benzel 7 0-0 17, McCaffery 2 2-2 6, Taylor 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 12-18 59.

3-point goals - Shelton, Lektorich, Benzel 3. Total fouls - University 13, Ferris 18. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

NC 47, Rogers 44 (OT)

Alice Stearns backed up her 17 rebounds with 13 points, most coming in the late going, as the Indians defeated the visiting Pirates.

Rogers 10 7 12 10 5 - 44

N. Central 8 13 6 12 8 - 47

Rogers (0-9, 0-7) - Davis 3 3-4 13, Hose 0 0-0 0, Baldwin 1 1-3 3, Perry 2 4-8 8, Logue 4 0-0 10, Abrahamson 1 2-6 4, Bayne 1 2-4 6, McQueen 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 12-25 44.

North Central (1-7, 1-6) - Chase 0 0-0 0, Graesser 5 2-4 12, Eschenbacher 4 6-6 14, Weber 0 0-0 0, Carter 2 0-0 4, Davis 0 0-0 0, Kennedy 1 0-0 2, Holdren 1 1-2 4, Stearns 5 3-12 13. Totals 18 12-24 47.

3-point goals - Davis 2, Holdren. Total fouls - Rogers 17, North Central 17. Fouled out - Abrahamson, Bayne, Carter. Technicals - Bayne, Carter.