GSL coaches have no complaints about draw

There were no complaints about the draw by coaches of three Greater Spokane League 3A state basketball qualifiers, other than its 4 p.m. scheduled time.

North Central’s Jay Webber, in Seattle on Saturday to scout teams, didn’t bother to hang around.

“I didn’t like the (late) time they had it and voiced my opinion to the tournament director,” Webber said. “He said the same things I was saying. He didn’t understand.”

The Indians (20-5), who waited 55 years for the opportunity to return, meet defending 3A champion O’Dea (21-6) at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and are happy to be playing.

West Valley (19-4), fourth in state last year and with eight returnees, opens at 7 p.m. against Mount Si (21-5). All games are at the Tacoma Dome.

Eagles coach Jamie Nilles knows about both teams. He said that O’Dea isn’t as good as it has been in past years, but is disciplined, athletic and will still cause fits.

“I’ve got good tape on Mount Si,” he said. “We match up better with them right off the bat. If you do that in the first round you can’t be choosy after that.”

NC is on the same side of the bracket as Renton (24-0) and Lynden (23-1).

“You get to the state tournament and there are 16 teams who are pretty darn good, so we have our hands full” Webber said. “But we’re not just happy to make it and say that. We want to make some noise and win two or three games while we’re there.”

WV is one of three No. 1 district seeds in its half of the bracket.

“With the kids we have coming back we won’t be shell-shocked the first game,” Nilles said. “We won’t see something we haven’t seen before.”

Girls: Clarkston coach Len Kelly couldn’t have been more pleased with the draw, which he saw online from home late Sunday afternoon when it was posted.

The Bantams (13-10) drew Tumwater (16-7), second from the Southwest District at 2 p.m. They are on the same side of the bracket as state favorite Chief Sealth (25-0), but wouldn’t play them until the semifinals.

“I think we get respect because of the league we played in,” Kelly said.

“We’re excited about how the draw came out.”