Quick hits
LOOKING AHEAD
So the Greater Spokane League’s “real” schedule is under way, and now there is no margin for error if a team wants to either win league or make the postseason, especially this week.
Tonight, University hosts Gonzaga Prep in games that matter intently on both the boys’ and girls’ sides of the standings.
The undefeated U-Hi girls are ranked in the top three of the state. G-Prep’s Bullpups, who recently defeated defending state champ Roosevelt twice, will try to avenge a non-counting loss to U-Hi. In the opener, the Prep boys will try to end the Titans’ six-game winning streak.
Friday brings the first of the spirit games at the Arena, with the Rubber Chicken between Lewis and Clark and Ferris.
On Tuesday, Ferris’ boys will host Central Valley in a battle of teams with one loss, and the U-Hi boys will try to avenge a loss to 3A West Valley.
Basketball
GSL games
Tonight
Boys game at 5:45 p.m., girls game at 7:30: Gonzaga Prep at University.
Friday
Rubber Chicken at Arena, Ferris vs. Lewis
and Clark: Girls game at 3:45 p.m., boys game at 5:30. Girls games at 5:45, boys games at 7:30: Cheney at Central Valley; Clarkston at Mt. Spokane; Mead at Rogers; East Valley at Shadle Park. Boys game at 5:45 p.m., girls game at 7:30: West Valley at North Central.
Tuesday
Girls games at 5:45 p.m., boys games at 7:30: Rogers at East Valley; Mead at Gonzaga Prep; Shadle Park at Lewis and Clark; University at West Valley. Boys games at 5:45 p.m., girls games at 7:30: Mt. Spokane at North Central; Central Valley at Ferris; Clarkston at Cheney.
Wrestling
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Cheney at Shadle Park, Clarkston at North Central, Central Valley at Mead, University at Rogers, Mt. Spokane at Ferris, West Valley at Lewis and Clark.
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Ferris at Cheney, Lewis and Clark at Clarkston, Shadle Park at Central Valley, North Central at University, Rogers at Gonzaga Prep.
Gymnastics
Tonight, 6:30 p.m.
Lewis and Clark, Rogers, North Central at Mt. Spokane.
Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Central Valley, Mt. Spokane, North Central at Shadle Park; Ferris at Lewis and Clark.
LOOKING AROUND
The first major tournament test of the new year for local wrestlers is this weekend at University’s Pacific Northwest Classic. Sixteen teams, including two Titans squads, will fill a field that begins wrestling at 6 p.m. Friday, resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday with finals at approximately 5 p.m. “I think it will be one of the best tournaments in Washington this year,” said U-Hi coach Don Owen. “We’ll have kids who were in the thick of things at Tri-State in our tournament.” The field includes defending Montana state champion Flathead, with at least a half-dozen individual placers; Stanwood, among Washington’s ranked schools; 2A powers Othello and Lakeside, who will vie for the state title; Auburn-Riverside; assorted Big Nine teams; and Greater Spokane League schools East Valley, Mt. Spokane, Central Valley, Ferris and Lewis and Clark. The tourney could feature a rematch of defending state champions Cory Fish and Anthony Vela at 119 pounds, will include state champion Kyle Yonago of Ferris at 140 and his brother Taylor, returning to action following a soccer injury and in the same weight class (125) as Lakeside state finalist Levi Jones. … North Central nearly pulled off a basketball comeback from 10 points down at halftime against Gonzaga Prep on Tuesday, losing by a point in overtime. The Indians did it without leading scorer and post presence Damal Neil, who broke his right index finger and is likely out for 4-6 weeks. Neil banged the finger on the backboard, twisting it grotesquely. Surgery was required to insert a plate. Neil was on the bench Tuesday, the hand in a brace and the repaired finger conspicuous with its zippered network of stitches. “I hope to be back sooner than they expect,” he said. NC is a different team without him, but in his absence, freshman Nicholas Rijon pitched in with 15 points, including three of NC’s 10 3-pointers that made for an interesting second half.