Player, Coach Hospitable Neighbors

Most spend their down time at the State B basketball tournament relaxing in the Arena’s hospitality room.

Sunnyside Christian coach Al Smeenk and Tekoa-Oakesdale standout Heather Cox spent theirs recuperating in side-by-side hospital rooms.

“I heard she was in the room next to me, but I was too busy groaning,” said Smeenk, whose Knights ironically were thrown into the losers bracket by Tekoa-Oakesdale in the first round.

Smeenk checked into Sacred Heart Medical Center on Thursday night after feeling the effects of Monday’s kidney stone operation. He said he foolishly didn’t eat much Thursday, and became dehydrated.

He was treated and released, but had to miss Friday afternoon’s game, where his Knights beat Manson 60-32 to advance to today’s fifth- and eighth-place game. He didn’t even listen to the game on the radio from his hotel room.

“I had to sleep all day. Being there would have created too much stress and a lot of tension,” Smeenk said in a telephone interview Friday night.

Cox, meanwhile, was at the Arena on Friday and watched from the bench as her Nighthawks were eliminated by Ritzville. She missed Thursday’s quarterfinal game and was admitted to the hospital, where doctors performed a laparoscopy to examine the interior of her abdomen.

“I feel fine today,” Cox reported.

Never a doubt

Confidence? You want confidence?

Just listen to what Cascade Christian’s go-to player said before hitting the tying basket that sent the Cougars’ loser-out game against Seattle Lutheran into overtime.

“I missed one (Thursday) against Wilbur-Creston because I didn’t jump high enough.

“(Friday), I said, `Dude, I’m getting this one.’ I jumped as high as I could and it went in. It was cool,” said the 5-foot-9 daughter of head coach Darrel Shively.

Junior Kristen List wasn’t surprised by her teammate’s heroics.

“She said, `Hey, I’m going to win this game,”’ List said. “I said, `Hey, I’m going to help you.’ We just always trust Jackie.”

Shively’s bucket, a layin after driving the baseline, tied the game with 6.7 seconds left. She went on to score seven points in OT and 20 overall as the Cougars advanced to today’s fourth-seventh-place game against two-time defending state champ Ritzville.

Ahead of her class

Rebecca Willms, Waterville’s leading scorer and rebounder in all three state games, also has a jump on the competition in the classroom.

Willms is getting her two-year associate degree this spring at Wenatchee Valley College.

The 17-year-old high school senior enrolled in the Running Start program and is earning credits for both high school and two-year college degrees. She’s one of a handful of Waterville students, along with teammate Erin Long, a junior, in the program.

“High school didn’t seem challenging enough,” said Willms, a 5-10 center. “Plus, it’s nice just to get ahead.”

Willms said she plans on moving to San Diego after graduation and work toward a four-year college degree. There are no future basketball plans, but she enthusiastically added, “I’d like it a lot. Actually, I’d love it.”

Going places … or wanting to

King’s West guard Becka Beard and center Melissa Wallace have signed to play college ball at Division II Seattle Pacific… . Cascade Christian guard Jackie Shively said she’s also looking to play at SPU, Western Washington or Northwest Nazarene… . Lewis-Clark State College has shown interest in Tekoa-Oakesdale’s Cox… . Ritzville’s Amy Fitch, who also excels in high jumping, has received feelers from North Idaho College… . Wilbur-Creston standout Alyssa Erickson reports she’s undecided about her hoops future… . Brittney Christopher, one of seven seniors on Seattle Lutheran, said she’s considering walking on at Eastern Washington or Central Washington. … Waitsburg senior center Anne Bickelhaupt said she will reveal her college plans after the tournament.

Dragon power

Eleven St. George’s players in the 1990s have gone to play college basketball, including eight from the 1993 team that lost to Davenport in the championship game. There are no senior starters on this year’s team. Wenchi Lui, regarded as one of the best point guards around, is a junior.