Bullpups bounce Bears

The shot was taken more in desperation than by design, but it proved more precious than gold for Gonzaga Prep.

Max Manix tossed up a 3-pointer – legs akimbo – that ended the third quarter and staked the Bullpups to an eight-point lead Tuesday. It held up in their 48-40 District 8 4A elimination victory over Central Valley.

“The ball didn’t go where we intended it to,” said G-Prep coach Mike Haugen of Manix’s shot. “We had another play called, but Max had the presence of mind to get the shot up.”

With Tuesday’s victory, the Bullpups (13-8) live to play at least for four more days. They have qualified for regional and at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at University face Greater Spokane League unbeaten Ferris in the district semifinals.

In the night’s other district playoff, No. 3-seeded Shadle Park ended visiting Lewis and Clark’s season 55-45. The Highlanders (15-6) play Mead (16-4) at 5:45 p.m. at U-Hi in Thursday’s opener.

In the G-Prep/CV game, Manix’s third-quarter shot culminated a fast finish in which the Bullpups (13-8) scored the period’s final seven points. His shot, a bucket by Travis Long and Connor McClary’s basket on his only shot of the game were pivotal, said Bears coach Rick Sloan.

CV overcame a frigid start in which it fell behind 10-0 in the game’s first 5 minutes.

But as poorly as the Bears shot, and trailing 17-4 on a basket by sophomore Long to open the second quarter, G-Prep had its own issues.

The Bullpups did not score again in the half, going 7 minutes, 19 seconds without a point while CV rallied, primarily at the free-throw line, to take an 18-17 lead.

“We knew it was going to be a battle, that both teams play really good defense and it would be hard to score,” Haugen said. “But I thought we competed really well, especially coming out of that second quarter and having a solid third quarter.”

It was Manix and Long who did most of the work. Between them they had 13 of G-Prep’s 17 third-period points and a total of 29 of the team’s first 40.

With 4:20 remaining in the game, the Bullpups had maintained the lead they fashioned in the third quarter. The closest CV would come was 44-40. Manix, however, countered inside with 26 seconds left to settle it.

He finished with 15 points and Long added 16. They also led the team in rebounding.

Haugen said that Manix has become a scorer lately and that Long is a good athlete who needs to be reminded to assert himself.

“It was just rebounding,” said Long of their ability to score. “Me and Max got important rebounds and set screens. We worked on posting up and sealing all week.”

The Bullpups, who had trouble getting shots against CV’s sticky man-to-man defense until extending its offense to create more spacing in the second half, wound up shooting well from the field.

CV, however, made just more than 20 percent from the field in the first half and 27 percent for the game, in part because of rushed shots caused by G-Prep’s equally tight D.

“To shoot 27 percent and be in the game, I was pretty proud of our effort,” said Sloan. “We couldn’t hit a bucket. We had a lot of close rattles in and out. It just wasn’t our night.”

Shadle Park 55, LC 45: Anthony Brown fired in 22 points and Zack Humphrey chipped in 18 to pace No. 3 seed Shadle’s victory in the District 8 4A tournament.

The sixth-seeded Tigers closed within 38-32 at the end of third quarter, but Humphrey sealed Shadle’s victory with seven points over the game’s final 4 minutes. The Highlanders’ lead never dipped to less than eight after Aaron Dunn opened the fourth quarter with two free throws.

Philip Penberthy led LC with 12 points. Taylor Eglet and Nick Hardrick added 11 and 10, respectively.