Reborn Prep Tops Shadle

GSL Girls

Maybe practice is overrated.

Coming off a 57-41 loss to Lewis and Clark on Tuesday night that knocked them out of the Greater Spokane League lead, the Gonzaga Prep girls basketball team practiced 25 minutes Wednesday.

The rest of the time was spent in a players meeting.

The result was a 61-54 win at Shadle Park on Friday night that kept the Bullpups, Mead and Central Valley knotted at the top of the standings with four losses each.

“We took care of what needed to be taken care of as a team,” Rebecca Wood said. “We rejoined as a team. We’re definitely stronger as a team because of it.”

The Bullpups are definitely in better shape because of Wood.

The 6-foot senior, who is headed to Saint Mary’s on a volleyball scholarship, came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points and grab 13 rebounds.

“Rebecca Wood has stayed real focused all year and played her role probably better than anyone on the team,” Prep coach Mike Arte said. “When we ask her to step up, she steps up.”

Wood scored five points and snagged five boards in the third quarter when Prep stretched a 28-22 lead to 47-33. Another senior reserve, Lauren Umbdenstock, also had five of her seven points in the third quarter and contributed strong defense on Shadle’s leading scorer, Amy Ridings.

“I love to play Shadle,” said Wood, whose two older brothers attended the public school. “I used to watch them play all the time. I was motivated for this game… . It was a great win for the team.”

Though the rebounding numbers were close, 45-43 for Prep, the difference in the third quarter was 14-7.

“We need to rebound better and a couple of times we hurried when we shouldn’t have hurried,” Shadle coach Chad Dezellem said. “We should have been more patient. We played hard. There are reasons why we lost that game. We’ll fix them.”

The Highlanders’ next game will be against Lewis and Clark at the Arena on Tuesday. The Tigers, who are two games back, close with East Valley at home Thursday. Shadle finishes with Ferris at the Arena.

Shanni Warren helped Shadle Park keep it close, scoring a gamehigh 16 points with 10 rebounds. Eight points and five boards, mostly on the offensive end, came in the fourth quarter.

Ridings had 12 points, but it came on 4 of 20 shooting, with two baskets and seven points in the fourth quarter. Carly Barnes, Umbdenstock and Juliann Laney handled the defense against Ridings.

Barnes scored 11 points and Laney had eight points, eight assists and nine rebounds.

“Every time we’ve lost a game, we’ve turned around and came back,” Arte said. “That’s a true testament to the kids.”

Gonzaga Prep 61, Shadle Park 54

Gonzaga Prep 10 18 19 14 - 61

Shadle Park 7 15 11 21 - 54

Gonzaga Prep (14-4) - Gillum 4 0-2 8, Laney 4 0-0 8, Umbdenstock 3 1-2 7, Heitman 0 0-0 0, Barnes 2 6-12 11, Gibbon 0 0-0 0, O’Brien 3 2-6 8, Budinsky 1 0-0 2, Housam 2 0-0 4, Wood 5 3-5 13. Totals 24 12-27 61.

Shadle Park (10-8) - Ridings 3 4-4 12, Stockman 2 2-2 6, Jones 1 2-4 4, Osborn 2 0-0 4, Warren 8 0- 2 16, Malmquest 0 0-0 0, McGrath 4 4-5 12, Flemming 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 12-17 54.

3-point goals - Gonzaga Prep 1 (Barnes), Shadle Park 2 (Ridings 2). Total fouls - Gonzaga Prep 14, Shadle Park 20. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

University 79, North Central 43

Vanessa Shelton had 11 assists and Sarah Steblaj scored a career-high 22 points as the Titans turned back the visiting Indians.

Steblaj had three 3s in the first quarter and 15 points at halftime. Four Titans scored in double figures with sophomore Teagan MacDonald scoring a career-high 12.

North Central 13 10 9 11 - 43

University 17 20 19 24 - 79

North Central (1-17) - Hare 1 0-0 2, Graesser 1 1-2 3, Davis 2 0-0 4, Eschenbacher 0 1-2 1, Weber 1 0-0 2, Kennedy 5 2-6 12, Cressey 0 0-0 0, Warnock 2 4-4 8, Huntley 1 0-0 2, Holdren 2 5-6 9. Totals 15 13-20 43.

University (14-5) - S. Steblaj 7 4-4 22, Owen 4 2-2 10, Murray 0 1-2 1, Buchanan 1 0-2 3, Valkenaar 6 1-1 14, Shelton 1 0-0 2, L. Steblaj 1 2-2 4, Silvey 2 4-6 8, Lochmiller 1 1-2 3, MacDonald 3 4-4 12. Totals 26 19-25 79.

3-point goals - S. Streblaj 4, Buchanan, Valkenaar, McDonald. Total fouls - North Central 17, University 17. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

Central Valley 64, East Valley 46

The visiting Bears put three players in double figures and forced 31 turnovers to defeat the Knights, who were missing two starters.

Central Valley 23 16 16 9 - 64

East Valley 8 11 12 15 - 46

Central Valley (14-4) - Hatcher 1 0-0 2, Heinen 2 0-0 5, Rodgers 6 0-0 11, Ferguson 5 0-0 13, Wing 0 1-2 1, Rae. Jewell 8 4-5 21, Loss 0 2-3 2, Nunnally 0 0-0 0, Wagner 2 0-0 4, Moore 2 1-2 5. Totals 25 8-12 64.

East Valley (6-12) - Douglas 0 0-0 0, Kline 0 0-0 0, Nead 1 0-0 2, M. Frazier 0 4-6 4, J. Frazier 3 0-0 8, Tonani 4 0-0 8, Girven 3 5-6 11, Younker 6 1-1 13, Como 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 10-13 46.

3-point goals - Heinen, Rodgers, Ferguson 3, Rae. Jewell, J. Frazier 2. Total fouls - Central Valley 17, East Valley 16. Fouled out - none. Technicals - none.

Ferris 67, Rogers 45

Three players scored 12 points and another had 11 as the visiting Saxons defeated the Pirates.

Ferris 18 22 15 12 - 67

Rogers 6 10 8 21 - 45

Ferris (12-6) - Lynn 1 0-0 2, Foster 5 0-0 11, Coombs 5 2-2 12, Gilpin 2 0-0 6, Davidson 1 0-0 2, Kirstein 1 0-4 2, Clift 0 0-1 0, Benzel 5 0-0 12, Olajoyegbe 0 0-0 0, Taylor 4 4-6 12, Kelly 2 0-0 4, Dahlstrom 1 2-2 4. Totals 26 8-15 67.

Rogers (0-18) - O’Shogay 2 0-0 4, Lehman 2 1-2 5, Tucker 2 0-0 4, Schock 3 1-2 7, Abrahamson 1 1-2 4, Jones 0 0-0 0, Francis 0 0-0 0, Bayne 8 1-4 17, Taylor 1 1-2 4. Totals 19 5-12 45.

3-point goals - Gilpin 2, Benzel 2, Abrahamson, Taylor. Total fouls - Ferris 14, Rogers 13. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.

Mead 61, Mt. Spokane 42

Courtney Ferguson, scoreless in the first meeting, hit five 3s and scored 19 points as the Panthers blew away the Wildcats in the fourth quarter.

Mead 13 15 13 20 - 61

Mt. Spokane 10 13 15 4 - 42

Mead (15-4) - L. Gonnella 5 2-2 12, C. Ferguson ,6 2-2 19, Brodsky 3 3-5 9, G. Gonnella 2 0-0 4, Adams 0 0-0 0, Bailey 1 0-0 2, A. Ferguson 3 2-3 8, Wilson 2 3-4 7. Totals 22 12-16 61.

Mt. Spokane (6-12) - Nikula 0 0-0 0, Bertholf 0 0-0 0, Monroe 3 0-0 7, T. Amistoso 1 0-0 2, Horobiowski 5 2-2 12, Brumleve 0 2-2 2, Wetzel 3 0-0 6, Wyrick 3 1-2 7, Bussiere 2 0-0 6 Totals 17 5-6 42.

3-point goals - Ferguson 5, Monroe, Bussiere 2. Total fouls - Mead 10, Mt. Spokane 13. Fouled out - None. Technicals - None.