Practice makes perfect as Wildcats trip up Indians
The good news for Mt. Spokane, early in its Greater Spokane League girls basketball win Tuesday at North Central, was that the team was overwhelming on the offensive boards.
The bad news was that for every offensive rebound – and there were 18 alone in the first half – there was a corresponding missed layin.
But the Wildcats also had Katelan Redmon, their 6-0 sophomore difference maker in the 58-45 victory.
Redmon scored 17 of her game-high 27 points and pulled down eight of her 12 rebounds in the first half. And she fueled a 20-5 second-quarter advantage that broke a 14-14 tie, enabling Mt. Spokane to shake the determined Indians (8-2, 1-2).
“I told the guys that I would cheat on their stats if they made some of them,” said coach Jeanne Helfer of the missed layins, sometimes coming three a possession. “I told them I’d give them a couple of extra rebounds if they’d just put the ball in the hole.”
Not that the Wildcats needed more rebounds given their 45-29 advantage. Or, for that matter, more layins. Of the team’s 21 field goals, all but two, a 3-point basket by Katrina Johnson late in the second quarter and a shot by Leah Pomante for a 58-40 lead with 2:45 remaining in the game, were scored inside the paint.
Coupled with 15-for-17 free-throw shooting, Mt. Spokane improved its season record to 9-1 (3-0 in GSL counters).
“We hadn’t been playing good the last few games so we just came out hard,” said Redmon, whose power layin and resulting three-point play broke the first-quarter tie and started the team on a 14-1 second-quarter run.
She finished 7 for 13 in the half and hit four of five shots in the final 16 minutes, plus hit all five free throws.
“I thought I was shooting pretty good out there,” she said.
Helfer said that the game plan was to go to her taller players inside if NC didn’t concentrate on stopping Redmon. She was able get to the basket off the baseline dribble or off the fast break for most of her points.
And Helfer said the contributions of point guard Pomante were immeasurable.
“When we need someone to calm it down, she calms it. When we need someone to push the ball, she pushes it,” said Helfer. “The kids kept going even though they were a little frustrated that the ball was not going in. They knew eventually it would.”
Clarkston 61, Cheney 40
Poor first-half shooting hurt the Blackhawks (2-8, 0-3) who scored only 13 points and trailed by 24 in a loss to the visiting Bantams (5-4, 1-2).
Gonzaga Prep 66, Mead 51
Trailing 14-6 early, the Bullpups (7-3, 2-1) got their guard game going at home to overwhelm the Panthers (5-4, 2-1). G-Prep sparkplug Corinna O’Brien scored 18 points and speedy Alex Butler added 13 more in fueling the 26-11 advantage that put the team in control at the half.
Central Valley 56, Ferris 43
The Saxons (3-7, 1-2) cooled off Heidi Heintz, but they couldn’t stop Salena Leavitt and Kayla Reilly who combined for 25 points and kept the Bears (8-2, 3-0) unbeaten in league. Lexi Lallas had a double-double for Ferris with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
East Valley 53, Rogers 30
Parlaying 22 steals into points, the host Knights (6-4, 2-1) got a combined 27 from Katie Storey and Eleaya Schuerch in beating the Pirates (0-10, 0-3). Rogers’ Denisha Whitehead and D’Erica Jones scored in double figures.
LC 54, Shadle Park 37
Heather Bowman had 24 points and 14 rebounds and Briann January dished out 17 assists and the Tigers (10-0, 3-0) took control in the second half at home over the Highlanders (1-9, 0-3).
University 86, West Valley 41
Angie Bjorklund scored 32 points, including six 3-point baskets, and every player scored for the Titans (10-0, 3-0) in a win over the host Eagles (0-10, 0-3). The game marked the season debut of U-Hi’s Leah Archibald, back from knee surgery.