Slow start proves costly for Bullpups

In a rematch of schools that had met a week earlier in the State 4A football semifinals, Gonzaga Prep got off to a slow start against Evergreen from Vancouver in the third annual East-West Classic basketball series in The (old) Kennel at Gonzaga University.

But coach Mike Haugen wouldn’t blame the 68-54 loss on the fact that several Bullpups were playing their first game because of the football delay.

“Part of it was the new guys, but that’s no excuse for the way we started,” said Haugen, lamenting his team’s lack of execution and patience. “That’s a very good team, by far the best we’ve played. We were just not ready to go.”

Most of the rest of the GSL teams, playing in five of the six games at GU, weren’t ready either.

Ferris, with a wild overtime 60-57 comeback victory over a much taller Columbia River team was Spokane’s only victor in five games. In a couple others, fast starts like Evergreen’s were the reason.

Hanford, from the 3A Mid-Valley League defeated Mead in the 10 a.m. opener 68-60. Lincoln of Tacoma beat Shadle Park 47-33, and Franklin, a pre-season No. 2 state ranked team, overcame game Central Valley 66-54.

Brewster, the two-time defending 1A champions, turned in perhaps the most impressive showing, roaring past the Timberline Blazers 67-26 in the sixth boys game. The Bears ran and shot the 3-pointer, ran and shot some more.

Evergreen 68, Gonzaga Prep 54

Against the Plainsmen, a more physical looking and springy bunch came out with early passion, Cory Neal in particular. They scored from near and, more importantly, far.

In the last five minutes of the first quarter, they ran off 16 points to the Bullpups’ one in building a 23-5 lead.

It was a lead they maintained through the half, and though Gonzaga made a valiant second-half try, ultimately it was too big an obstacle to surmount.

Evergreen’s Neal scored 14 points in the first half, hitting two 3-point baskets and making 7 of 10 from the free-throw line as the visitors to Gonzaga University’s Martin Center roared to 44 first-half points.

The Plainsmen totaled seven 3-point baskets that negated Bullpups comeback efforts once they eventually got into the flow of the game

But Gonzaga ultimately did make a brilliant rally in the second-half, cutting the lead to four points, 50-46, by the start of the fourth quarter.

Junior guard Michael Johnson, scoreless in the first half, and sophomore Beau Azadganian began cooking. Combined they scored 26 of the Bullpups 27 second-half points in providing hope.

But Clark Pedersen hit a 3-point shot that started Evergreen on its way to rebuilding a 14-point advantage.

Azadganian finished with 17 points and Johnson had 14 in the game.

“We played much better in the second-half, with more intensity,” said Haugen. “They shoot well, but we gave them shots. We made them work harder in the second half, and I feel better about that.”

Ferris 60, Columbia River 57 (OT)

Never count out the Saxons. In a game that was nip-and-tuck through three quarters, the Saxons fell behind early in the fourth quarter 44-39 before rallying to force overtime.

The first quarter was an 11-11 standoff with the Saxons’ Jeremy Templeton scoring nine and the Chieftains’ Sean Price scoring eight.

Price put Columbia River ahead 20-18 late in the second period, but Ryan Shelby’s 3-point basket with a second left gave Ferris a 22-21 lead at intermission.

In the third quarter, Columbia River regained the lead and clung to it throughout. Aaron Guinn scored and Chris Bolton hit the team’s fourth 3-point basket of the half to break a 39-all tie early in the fourth.

Brian Hallett scored eight points down the stretch. Templeton, Ryan Shelby and Josh Rhodes pitched in as the scrappy Saxons overcame the size differential to remain unbeaten. Templeton finished with a team high 16 points and Shelby scored 11.

Lincoln 47, Shadle Park 33

Like the Bullpups, Shadle fell victim early to an aggressive and uptempo foe.

The Abes ran off eight straight points en route to a 16-4 first-quarter lead and the best efforts of Josh Landsverk, who towered over the field, wouldn’t be enough to offset them.

Landsverkg scored 12 first-half points, and the Highlanders closed to within 26-22 on a 3-point basket by Zach Humphrey with 2:25 left until intermission.

Lincoln scored the final seven points of the half, Kaleb Shelton providing the spark.

The Abes turned conservative in the second half, milking the clock and minimizing both teams’ shot opportunities.

Humphrey opened the third quarter with another 3-point basket, but Shadle didn’t score again in the period and only had 11 second-half points.

Franklin 66, Central Valley 54

The Quakers broke a 30-all tie early in the third quarter to start a 18-4 surge that ultimately meant victory over the Bears. Four of the baskets were 3-pointers, including back-to-back 3s by Tabid Mohamed, that backed a stifling second-half defense.

For a half, however, CV paid no attention to Franklin’s press clippings and never trailed the highly-touted foe until the final two seconds of the first half.

Braden Jensen put CV ahead from the start and helped as the team nursed leads as big as six points through much of the first two quarters. He would finish with a game-high 21 points.

Franklin tied the game three times in the second quarter and finally went in front on Jordan Daisy’s drive as time was running out. He finished as Franklin’s scoring leader with 17

The game got away from CV in the third quarter. The Bears trailed by as many as 25 points before scoring the game’s final 13.

Hanford 68, Mead 60

Superior Falcons rebounding and soft Mead defense did in the host Panthers and Hanford’s Tyler Cathey made five first-half 3-point baskets en route to 17 points and a 39-32 lead at half.

Mead was up 16-15 late in the first quarter, but following wholesale Panther substitutions, Hanford raced to a 26-16 lead and never trailed. The team had a 40-21 rebounding advantage.

Admir Beribak led all scorers with 22 points, Cathey finished with 19. Mead’s Lucas Ashe had 14 first-half points while Bron Tomeo scored all 10 of his points in the second half.

Lewis and Clark 67, Post Falls 58 (OT)

A 3-point basket by Post Falls’ Spencer Pingel tied the game and LC’s Andre Jennings missed two free throws with 1.4 seconds left forcing the overtime.

In the extra period, the Tigers made enough of their 33 free throws during the game to pull away. T.J. Lee-Hill led LC in scoring with 17 points and sophomore Jennings added 15.