Lakeside needs, gets a perfect finish

NINE MILE FALLS, Wash. – Eighty-four feet away with 2 seconds to go, Lakeside’s boys were far from a game-winning basket.

It was nothing some absolutely perfect execution couldn’t fix.

Garrett Perkins’ three-quarters-court pass hit 6-foot-5 Jeff Harrington, who caught it on the left wing and threw a blind pass toward the basket, right into the hands of Travis Corigliano. A desperate block attempt of Corigliano’s reverse lay-in was ruled goaltending, giving Lakeside an improbable 41-39 overtime victory over second-ranked Pullman (18-2, 11-1), snapping the Greyhounds’ 17-game winning streak.

The Eagles couldn’t have drawn it up any better.

“It’s something where we know it’s going to come down the wire and we haven’t used it yet all year,” Lakeside head coach David Pratt said of the play, which sparked a wild celebration. “You can’t ask for any better way to finish than that.”

Lakeside (12-7, 8-3) needed two perfect passes, especially the one by Harrington, which he made while in midair facing the wrong direction 20 feet from the basket.

“My buddy Travis was behind me and he just cut to the basket and called my name,” Harrington said. “I just threw it to the basket and he was right there.”

Harrington and Perkins both had 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Eagles.

The win means Lakeside needs to beat last-place Colville on Thursday to get the Great Northern League’s second seed into districts, important because it means the Eagles would avoid opening with a loser-out game.

After losing by 14 on Jan. 24 in Pullman, Lakeside tried to slow down the game – and did so with a patient offense.

“That was our game plan coming into it,” Harrington said. “We just went in with this play we usually do at the end of games, like stalling. We pretty much tried to take a minute off the clock and then run a play.”

Another aspect of the Eagles’ game plan was a 3-2 zone, which frustrated Pullman, as the Greyhounds often settled for 3-pointers, shooting 21 of their 44 field-goal attempts from beyond the arc.

“They’re just so athletic and deep, so we decided to shorten the game a little,” Pratt said. “Our guys executed exceptionally well today.”

One of Pullman’s six 3-pointers, a jumper from the left wing by the unlikeliest of Greyhounds, 6-4 post George Turner, tied the game at 39 with 5 seconds left before the Eagles’ game-winner.

•In other GNL boys games, Jason Paul scored all 11 of his points in the first quarter, and Adam Anderson finished the game with 15 points to lead Riverside (11-8, 6-5) to a 55-36 win over host Deer Park (7-12, 2-9). … Cameron Stroyan notched 14 points and nine rebounds to lead Chewelah (9-10, 7-4) past host Medical Lake (9-10, 5-6) 38-30.

Girls

The girls game couldn’t quite match the dramatics of the boys game, but came close, as ninth-ranked Pullman held off sixth-ranked Lakeside 50-48, breaking the Eagles’ 10-game winning streak.

“I don’t believe the Pullman girls have won in this gym,” Greyhounds head coach Mike Davis said. “In eight years, or maybe longer, so we’ve been bearing a heavy load when we come up here and this is a good win for us.”

An impressive offensive display gave way to a defensive fourth quarter, as Pullman (16-4, 11-1) held the Eagles (14-5, 10-1) to four points in the final 6:20.

Pullman tightened up its zone defense, forcing seven turnovers and 1-for-7 shooting by Lakeside over that span, including two misses in the final 6 seconds.

Meanwhile, a couple of buckets by 6-3 post Jamie Thornton gave the Greyhounds a four-point lead, which they hung on to even without scoring in the final 3:23.

Thornton had 15 points and seven rebounds to pace Pullman, while Kelsey Stillar led Lakeside with 20 points.

•In other GNL girls action, Brooke Schanzenbach and Jochelle Schatz combined for 43 points to lead visiting Chewelah (13-6, 7-4) to a 65-61 win over Medical Lake (11-8, 4-7). … Riverside (8-11, 4-7) was led by 11 points apiece from Shae Spicer and Amber Scott and went on to win 47-42 over host Deer Park (9-10, 3-8).