CV’s finish at state speaks volumes
Matt Morgan was the perfect example of why Central Valley reached the finals of last week’s State 4A boys high school basketball tournament for the third time in state history.
The Bears won their first three games, getting clutch efforts from six different players before losing 70-51 to Franklin in Saturday’s championship game.
“This was a very unselfish group,” said coach Rick Sloan. “They didn’t seem to care who scored as long as we did.”
As a senior, Morgan could logically have expected to have been a starter. Instead, he had to take on the role as the Bears sixth man.
And he played it to perfection, coming off the bench to average eight points a game during the regular season and improving on that during the playoffs when CV won eight of 10 games.
Morgan saved his best for state. He led scoring in the first two games and averaged more than 14 points per game for three.
“I just accepted the role and knew if we were going to do anything I’d have to come out and play as hard as I could,” said Morgan at state. “I put my heart into it and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
In game one, a 59-52 win over Bellarmine Prep, Morgan made 5 of 6 first-half shots, including two 3-point baskets to score 14 of his game-high 16 as the Bears built a 30-15 lead.
The next night, a 46-34 win over tall and eventual seventh-place finishing Gig Harbor, he had 14 points, 11 in the fourth quarter, on two 3-point baskets and 6-for-6 free throw shooting.
And he scored 13 second-half points, including 6-for-7 at the line in the fourth-quarter during CV’s second straight upset win, 58-48 over 26-1 South Kitsap, which finished third in state.
“He was outstanding in the playoffs,” said Sloan, “big shot after big shot, clutch free throw shooting down the stretch to seal victories.”
But that’s how it went for a team that struggled to score midway through the season and finished 15-5 to tie for fifth in the Greater Spokane League.
Once the offense caught up to a defense that frustrated three state opponents, CV became the surprise team and feel-good story of the postseason with a district title and regional second-place finish.
“Midway through the season our goal as a coaching staff was just to try and get some regional playoff experience,” said Sloan. “Once the offense clicked, the kids got confident and it was pretty magical.”
A deep and physical Franklin team ended CV’s hopes for a state title, but couldn’t take away from a superb season.
Sloan, the 1981 GSL scoring and rebounding champion and standout football quarterback at CV, got his second top four trophy in four years with his third state qualifier. He was offensive coordinator of CV’s state championship football team in 1997.
But this, he said, was about the team, including seniors Morgan, Brad Johnson and Brad Dieter.
“Johnson is the heart and soul,” said Sloan. “He’s a workhorse, a guy who will do whatever it takes to help the team win. What he does doesn’t always show up in the stat column.”
Dieter, he said, “was a take-a-charge guy. Every single game, whenever we needed a stop, he made it.”
Juniors Kevin Cameron, at point guard, Nick Ambrose, a 6-foot-5 post, and sophomore Luke Clift, second-team All Tournament and team scoring leader, head a returning nucleus that includes four sophomores, a freshman and three juniors.
Clift averaged 11.5 points per game for the year – a testament to team scoring balance – but had 18 in each of CV’s last two state games.
“He’s a sophomore who plays three sports and never has any time off,” said Sloan. “But at the end of the year Luke found a way to muster up enough energy to have a great tournament.”
Cameron, he said, faced unbelievable pressure at state, but handled it well and there were times during the year that Ambrose carried the team.
The magnitude of upstart Central Valley’s second place can’t be overstated, Sloan said.
“This isn’t just about us, but about all those schools who don’t think they have a shot to play for a title,” he said. “We’re representing all those guys.”
Best finish for Titans
It wasn’t the ending University’s girls basketball team had hoped for in light of what ultimately transpired, but the Titans did complete their best season with a third-place State 4A tournament finish.
They won three of four games, including Saturday’s 53-52 thriller over Auburn Riverside to complete a 25-4 season.
But University, which had three straight victories over Lewis and Clark, had to accept the fact that the Tigers are this year’s state champions with their win over Prairie.
“I don’t know if anybody could have beaten LC that night. They were on fire,” said Titans coach Mark Stinson. “But everyone can hang their hat on the fact we beat them three times. That makes me happy.”
U-Hi opened state with a 73-32 win over Bellarmine Prep – Angie Bjorklund scoring 23 points and Janna Erickson 11.
Then things got more difficult in a tournament billed as the deepest and most competitive in history.
The Titans built and lost then regained leads during a 57-54 quarterfinal win over Kentwood. They outscored the Chargers 17-10 in the fourth quarter and won on Bjorklund’s 3-point basket.
Playing in their third semifinal in four state trips, U-Hi led early against pre-tourney favorite Prairie, but lost in another agonizing three-point game, 59-56.
The Falcons’ size, with players 6-foot-2, 6-1 and 6-0 on the floor, posed defensive difficulties for the Titans that were compounded by six 3-point baskets from outside.
“I thought we played real well the first day,” said Stinson. “The second day we were relying on the referees to make calls when they ran their diamond and one defense on Angie. Against Prairie, I thought we were playing well, but they kept hitting shots and we got fatigued a bit.”
In the trophy game U-Hi took an early first-half lead that stretched to 24-14. But in the final two minutes, Auburn Riverside cut it to a point with three of the team’s 10 3-point baskets.
The Titans fell behind 33-32 in the third quarter but held the Ravens scoreless for more than five minutes and went back up by 10 points.
Midway through the fourth quarter it was tied again and Auburn Riverside went up 52-50 with a minute to play. It took a steal by Tonya Schnibbe resulting in free throws by Bjorklund with 16 seconds left, a defensive rebound by Dara Zack and free throw with 5.5 seconds to go to pull off the narrow win.
“The kids kept coming back, whether from behind or if they had a lead and it dissipated,” said Stinson. “I think the kids did a nice job of keeping their poise and it was fun to keep seeing them battling.”
Bjorklund averaged 19 points per game at state and led U-Hi in rebounding with an 8.5 average and was named first team All-Tournament. She finished the year with 495 points in 24 games for a 20.6 season average.
Schnibbe led the tournament in assists with 22, and fellow senior Kara Crisp set a tourney record with 13 3-point baskets, twice making five, against Kentwood and Prairie.
She and Erickson, among U-Hi’s five seniors, both averaged 10 points a game at state.
“They started their careers as kids who needed to get better in total facets of the game,” said Stinson. “They left their mark on this school as some of the best to come through here.”
Valley Baseball sign-up
Registration for the upcoming Spokane Valley Baseball League season begins on Saturday.
The league is for boys and girls ages 5-14 and runs from June through July. All games are played at Spokane Valley schools, none on weekends.
A nonselect, no-tryout league, each player is guaranteed at least half a game of playing time.
Applications are available at the baseball office, 12505 E. Sprague Ave. in the back of the Sports Creel building. The office will be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Cost is $70 for players ages 5 to 8, $80 for 9 to 12 and $90 for 13 to 14, there will be an additional fee for registration after April 15.
Coaches, sponsors and umpires always are needed.
For information call 922-0420 or visit the Web site at www.spokanevalleybaseball.com.
Ladies golf season nears
Liberty Lake Women’s 18 Hole Golf group will kick off its season with a 9 a.m. meeting and breakfast on March 28. Donna Ogilvie is this year’s president.
Club dues are $55, and golf, weather permitting, will follow.
The Creek at Qualchan 18 Hole Ladies club opening date of golf is March 27, with an 8 a.m. meeting followed by tee off at 9.
To reserve times, call the clubhouse at 448-9317.
For questions, contact club president Michelle Murrell at 448-6558.