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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Favorites in finale

Steve Christilaw Correspondent

Enough with the upsets.

The District 8 4A boys basketball tournament returned to form Thursday at Central Valley. After seeing both higher-seeded teams fall in loser-out games Tuesday, top-seeded and undefeated Ferris and second-seeded Shadle Park each secured home-court advantage in the opening round of next week’s regional tournament and advanced to meet for the third time tonight in the district championship game.

The Saxons turned away sixth-seeded University, which knocked off No. 3 Gonzaga Prep to reach the district semifinal, 55-42.

Shadle held off No. 5 CV 62-58. The Bears toppled fourth-seeded Mead in Tuesday’s loser-out playoff opener.

Ferris and Shadle meet at 7:30 tonight at CV to determine the Nos. 1 and 2 seed into the regional. The Saxons won both regular-season meetings by a total of just eight points. District rivals CV and U-Hi meet at 5:45 to determine the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds.

Despite spending an idle week for the first time since December, Shadle coach Tim Gaebe preferred it to the alternative.

“You lose a little not playing for a week, but I’d much rather do that then have to play a first-round, loser-out game,” he said. “Look at what happened this time – both of the higher seeds are out and done.”

Shadle Park 62, Central Valley 58: The Highlanders remained patient and it paid off in turning away the Bears.

Shadle tried to shake the dogged pursuit CV mounted, twice taking six-point leads in the second quarter and building a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Bears came back, cutting a 61-50 deficit to trail by just four points at the final buzzer.

Zach Humphrey scored 22 points to lead Shadle.

William Davis scored 22 to lead CV (11-12).

Ferris 55, University 42: It was a game the Saxons needed to win and they won.

“It was a little ugly, but we won,” coach Don Van Lierop said. “University came out and played better than they did the last time we played them and we knew they would. We watched them against Prep and they played well in winning that game.”

The Titans held Ferris to 23 points less than the 85-point total the Saxons amassed Saturday in the regular-season finale.

“We did not shoot well, that’s for sure,” Van Lierop said.

DeAngelo Casto scored 18 points to lead Ferris, including a thundering dunk as time expired to create the final margin.

Andrew Perttima’s 16 led U-Hi (9-13).