Girls provide night of surprises

The Greater Spokane League basketball preliminaries are over and the slate is wiped clean for league play that begins for real in January.

But Friday night’s results that included four girls surprises – not the least of them Rogers’ 39-35 victory over Mt. Spokane ending a 69-game losing streak – bore out early assessments by girls coaches.

Shadle Park (5-1) and East Valley (4-1) will have a say, and the GSL appears to be much more arduous and uncertain.

The Highlanders’ pesky defense in a 38-37 victory flummoxed host Mead (3-2) shooters for the better part of three quarters, and Shadle made enough free throws in the fourth to withstand a Panthers comeback.

Meanwhile, EV pulled off a 64-63 overtime win over previously unbeaten Gonzaga Prep, rallying from four points down on 5-for-6 free-throw shooting for the win. And visiting Ferris (2-4) beat University (3-2) 39-36, with the losing Titans scoring 11 first-half points.

These were the last of five non-league games among GSL teams. At the break, Lewis and Clark is the league’s only unbeaten girls team and has scarcely broken a sweat. But the rest of the league? Oh, my. Eight have at least three wins.

They could mean little later, but no coach is going to give them away.

“It’s good from a confidence standpoint,” said Shadle coach Chad Dezellem. “But you have to make sure you keep the girls focused. They have to grind it out 32 minutes every game. It’s a balanced league.”

The Highlanders and Panthers traded scores into the second quarter of an up-tempo and physical all-court game reminiscent of a marking soccer match. That’s not surprising since the combined rosters include a total of seven soccer players.

Shadle strung together back-to-back baskets, the last on a steal by Lexi Bishop, and added a 3-point basket by Ali Fenter for a 22-17 lead.

Fenter had eight points in the first half, Bishop 10.

The lead went to as many as eight points, 33-25 over the abysmal-shooting hosts on a pair of baskets by Jackie Gabriel midway through the third quarter. But Mead tied the game on Nikki Nelson’s 3-point basket with 5:56 to play.

Leading by a point, Shadle turned the ball over with 28 seconds left. Panthers attempts inside for the win, as they had done much of the night, failed to connect.

“We had a tough time finishing,” said Mead coach Reagan Freuen. “You have to give Shadle’s defense credit for that. We were rushed every shot and just didn’t have the flow or tempo we needed.”

Dezellem couldn’t help but smile over his team’s strong start.

“The nice thing is we are playing pretty well,” he said. “But there’s a lot of room for improvement.”

Bishop finished with 13 points and post Lexie Petterson was key in the second half scoring seven of her nine. She, Bishop and Nicole Cantu off the bench combined for 26 rebounds.

Nelson scored 15 points for Mead, eight in the fourth quarter comeback.

EV 64, Gonzaga Prep 63 (OT)

The Bullpups (5-1) were taken into overtime for the second time this week, only this time they didn’t survive it. Elise Olk’s putback at the buzzer of a missed 3-point shot sent the game into overtime where EV’s free throws won it.

Olk was one of four Knights in double figures, led by Ashley Grater’s 14 points. Tara Cronin’s 24 for G-Prep led all scorers in the game.

Ferris 39, University 36

Both teams shot only 29 percent from the field, but the Saxons were 7 of 19 from 3-point range, four by Cheri Shigeno for all 12 of her points. Jenna Galloway added 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Ferris made a 19-11 first-half lead hold up.

Cheney 44, North Central 41

The Blackhawks (2-3) had the better second half to edge the host Indians (1-4). Calynne Oyoloker paced Cheney with 14 points.

NC’s Ashlee Michelson led all scorers with 17.

Clarkston 57, West Valley 38

The Bantams (3-2) outscored the host Eagles (0-5) 28-6 in the third quarter to keep them winless thanks to an extended half-court zone trap defense. Patsy Dodgen-Auer scored 18 points.

Lewis and Clark 66, CV 39

Ten players scored, Heather Bowman leading with 15 as the unbeaten Tigers (5-0) cruised again, this time on the home court of the Bears (3-3).

Heidi Heintz scored 17 for CV.

Boys Ferris 71, University 59

The visiting Saxons (6-0) got 27 points and a batch of assists from Jon Clift to outscore the Titans (1-5).

Clift hit two 3-point baskets in the first quarter and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to cap his big night.

Central Valley 65, LC 58

The host Bears (5-1) rallied from a five-point halftime deficit. Kevin Cameron stayed hot, sharing scoring honors with Luke Clift at 18 apiece.

T.J. Lee-Hill led LC (1-6), also with 18 points.

North Central 62, Cheney 41

The Beal and Neil show carried the Indians (5-1) at home against the Blackhawks (1-5). Eric Beal scored 13 points and had eight assists. Damal Neil led all scores with 18.

Mead 60, Shadle Park 54

The host Panthers (2-4) never trailed and won for the first time since their season opener. Brendan Ingebritsen scored 19 points, seven in the fourth quarter to hold off the Highlanders (3-3) and Josh Landsverk, who finished with 22 points.

Gonzaga Prep 74, East Valley 48

The visiting Bullpups (3-2) pulled away from the Knights (2-3) in the second quarter. Prep’s Michael Johnson (a season-high 25 points) and EV’s Dylan Sattin (who led everyone with 26) put on a shooting clinic. They combined to score on 17 of 33 attempts.

Mt. Spokane 53, Rogers 38

The Pirates (3-3) couldn’t hit open shots and were shut out 18-0 in the second quarter by the visiting Wildcats (4-1). Matt Dorr scored 26 for the winners, Scotty Livengood 17 for Rogers.

West Valley 75, Clarkston 39

Arton Toussaint’s season-high 19 points helped the host Eagles (4-1) bombard the Bantams (1-4). Thirty-two Clarkston turnovers led to a number of WV fast-break points.