Unbeaten Tigers topple Titans

For the better part of the basketball showdown between the Greater Spokane League’s top teams, Lewis and Clark and host University, the visiting Tigers excelled in every facet of the game.

But it was their near-perfect, first-half defense that ultimately spelled the difference in Tuesday’s 50-49 triumph.

LC defenders caused 17 turnovers with suffocating pressure beginning in full court, preventing the Titans (10-2) from getting into their offense.

U-Hi was limited to 14 first-half shots simply because there was no open player to be found.

The Tigers (12-0) were quicker, relentless on the offensive boards and got some clutch efforts off the bench to build a 13-point, first-half lead.

U-Hi closed strongly late in the fourth quarter, wiping out most of an eight-point deficit in the game’s final 2 minutes, 38 seconds, a desperation shot in traffic near midcourt by Angie Bjorklund off-target at the buzzer.

Bjorklund faced that kind of attention all game long, held in check mainly by Katelan Redmon and Brittany Kennedy. She was not a factor for much of the game and didn’t get her scoring going until the final quarter.

By then, LC had done what it set out to do.

“I told the girls at halftime that that was the best defense I’ve been associated with,” said LC coach Jim Redmon. “We got a little bit tired because of the intensity, but I was really proud of them, I really was.”

The Titans hit a couple of 3-pointers and led 10-9 in the first quarter before LC outscored them 16-2. Tigers regulars pitched in, but the two biggest shots didn’t come from LC’s stars, but from sophomore Emily Travis.

The substitute guard entered the game during the second quarter and banged home back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 23-12 with 5:10 left. She added another basket a little more than a minute later.

U-Hi cut the lead to seven points late in the period before Redmon, besides her yeoman’s defense on Bjorklund, scored two baskets in the final minute. She had 10 of her 14 points at half.

LC took its biggest lead of the game, 39-25, early in the third quarter. Then Leah Archibald, who scored 11 points in the game, rallied the Titans with eight points, including a brilliant baseline layin move and 3-pointer.

The closest the Titans could come, however, was 45-40, and the score was 50-42 LC on scores by Kennedy and Lyndi Seidensticker before U-Hi’s final desperate flurry. Bjorklund scored seven of her 16 points in the final period.

Following the flawless early defense, coach Redmon said the Tigers did some good things and some bad things, but overall he was satisfied with the outcome.

“They’re too good of an offensive team and to their credit they brought it back,” Redmon said of U-Hi. “They’re a great team and going to be in the playoffs. This is just going to be another chapter.”

By winning, LC has taken a two-game lead over U-Hi and Mead in its bid to become the school’s first outright GSL champion.

League play resumes Thursday with U-Hi playing Central Valley in the annual district Stinky Sneaker spirit game in the Spokane Arena. LC has a bye.

Mead 55, Rogers 30: The Panthers (10-2) had 20 steals, six by Kelli Valentine, and tied U-Hi for third place with a victory over the visiting Pirates (2-10). Mead bolted to a 14-2 first-quarter lead and led 43-17 after three quarters. Kami Clark pulled down six rebounds to go with her game-high 12 points. Rikeya Crossley, with 11 points, and Denisha Whitehead with 10 paced Rogers.

Ferris 59, Central Valley 45: Post Liz Boyden scored a career high 22 points, including 9 for 9 from the free-throw line, to spark the Saxons (6-6) over the host Bears (3-9). Courtney Hatch added 13. Ferris limited CV scoring leader Justin Bowman to four points and dominated play in the first and third quarters when the team outscored CV 34-16.

Gonzaga Prep 56, Mt. Spokane 44: The Bullpups (7-4) jumped on the host Wildcats (2-9) in the first quarter and the 10-point lead held up. They limited Mt. Spokane to 3-for-17 shooting in the period while taking the 16-6 lead. Three G-Prep players finished in double figures. Jenna Sayman scored 15 points and was 7 for 7 from the free-throw line. Tara Cronin had 13 and Elise Kuhar-Pitters finished with 11 more. Sam Patrick scored a dozen for Mt. Spokane.