Together again

It wasn’t quite clicking their heels three times, but the Community Colleges of Spokane’s women’s basketball team helped Angie Clift and Jackie Albi realize there was no place like home. The former Ferris Saxons, who have known each other since kindergarten and have played basketball together since joining the Spokane Royals in fourth grade, took separate paths after high school but ended up in a familiar place: back in their hometown, playing basketball together.

And after their time away from the Lilac City, Albi, who played for a year at Walla Walla Community College, and Clift, who spent a quarter at Western Washington before returning, are glad to be back.

“For me, I wasn’t real happy with the team situation,” Albi said. “I wasn’t real happy with the coaching, and I thought I was done playing. But I called up (coach) Bruce (Johnson) and asked if I could play.”

“I just knew Western wasn’t the right fit for me,” Clift added. “I wasn’t happy there and basketball wasn’t working out, and I still really wanted to play, so coming home was a good thing.”

The opportunity to play together again wasn’t exactly unappealing, either.

“For me, definitely that was (a deciding factor),” Albi said. “She was already here and, honestly, I don’t know if I would have played if she wouldn’t have been here.”

Another benefit was coming back to play in front of family.

“The big thing for me has been family,” Albi said. “My parents came down to Walla Walla for a couple games last year, but it’s been really cool to be able to play in front of my parents again.”

It’s a sentiment Clift also shares.

“At Western, I was so homesick,” she said. “So it’s nice to have family support.”

But this is more than a tale of two local girls coming home. It’s a tale of two local girls coming home and making good.

Having played together for so long, and having known each other even longer, Clift and Albi have developed a certain chemistry with each other that is evident on the court.

“On the court, since we’ve known each other so well, it’s easy to tell when she’s frustrated, when she’s flustered or confident,” said Albi, a 5-foot-7 shooting guard. “I feel like I know if she wants the ball.”

That chemistry has been an integral part of a CCS team that is very young and one of the league’s smallest teams. The Sasquatch are 12-11 overall and 5-3 in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College’s East Region.

The duo helped CCS get off to a surprising 4-0 start in league play and each ranks among the league leaders in a number of categories.

Before Saturday’s loss to Yakima Valley, Albi, one of the league’s top shooters, was sixth in conference play in total 3-pointers made (10) and second in conference play in 3-point percentage (52.6) among those who’ve taken more than one 3-point shot.

Clift, who often plays out of position in the post on the defensive end, was seventh in the NWAACC in scoring (12.8 points per game), third in assists (4.0 per game), third in steals (2.7 per game), 10th in 3-point percentage (38.9) and second in free-throw percentage (87.5) among those who’ve taken more than 10 free throws.

Impressive numbers, sure, but what’s more impressive is the leadership they provide on a team where all but four players are freshman.

“Experience-wise, we’re one of the least experienced teams by far this year,” Johnson said. “… Both of them, and Angie especially because she was here last year, are doing a great job of being a leader; becoming more vocal.”

Clift has also shown her versatitlity. At 5-8, she’s a natural wing. But with the Sasquatch not having anyone taller than 5-11, she is often asked to take up a defensive position in the post.

“Right now, Angie’s playing three positions for us,” Johnson said. “She starts at the four, the power forward, which she’s really not, but because she’s such a good post defender we try and get mistmatches on quickness on some teams. She also playes the three, the wing, which is her natural position, and she’s also our backup point guard.”

The skill and leadership of the former Saxons duo was evident when they were at Ferris, where the Saxons took third place at state in the 2001-02 season.

“The best thing about them is that they’re very easy to coach and be around,” said Ferris’ girls basketball coach Art Rojas. “They’re just great people. Angie and ‘Jacks’ still come into the gym and do some things. They’re a very good example … They’re just part of our family.”

Once this season’s done, the girls both aim to transfer to a four-year school. Looking to stay near family and friends, Albi has applied to both Washington State and Eastern Washington, though she wouldn’t play basketball at either school. Clift has also applied to WSU and is also considering playing basketball at Whitworth.

But those decisions are for later. For now, the plan for what is likely their final season of college basketball together is simple.

And fittingly, they stated in unison:

“No regrets.”