Ferris fires it up

TACOMA – For periods of time in their State 4A boys basketball opener Wednesday, the defending champion Ferris Saxons got caught up in the high-flying frenzy of Garfield basketball.

But the Saxons – unlike last year’s third- and second-place state finishers, Franklin and Kentridge – were not about to be victims of an opening-day upset.

Outscoring the Bulldogs 38-19 in the second half of their game in the Tacoma Dome, Ferris (26-0) rolled to a 68-39 triumph and a 7 p.m. game tonight against Edmonds-Woodway (20-4).

Ferris won its 55th consecutive game.

“We knew Garfield was on an upswing and the first day here is a different environment,” said coach Don Van Lierop of Ferris’ early difficulties. “But I thought our guys kept plugging away.”

Early in the game, Ferris’ forays to the basket were swatted away and the Bulldogs raced the other way for a 10-6 lead.

But for all that, Saxons defender Erick Cheadle kept gifted Garfield freshman Tony Wroten somewhat in check and Jeff Minnerly found ways to score.

Ferris went on a 16-0 run to lead 22-10. Garfield cut the lead to five points while Cheadle was taking a breather and Jared Karstetter sitting with three fouls.

But Karstetter’s slashing drive for a three-point play and Minnerly’s late basket pushed the lead back to 10 points at intermission.

Garfield scored the first two baskets of the third quarter before Cheadle’s three-point play was followed by Minnerly’s shot in the key after Saxons attempts were swatted twice. The Bulldogs had nothing left.

Ferris led 50-28 by the top of the fourth quarter.

Minnerly finished with a team-high 20 points.

“They let us play and let little things go,” Minnerly said. “There were gaps in the zone, I made some nice cuts and Jared and Dee (DeAngelo Casto) got me the ball.”

Cheadle’s job was to shadow the 6-foot-5 Wroten, who is Garfield’s top scorer and main playmaker.

“I was just trying to slow him up, and when he passed the ball I was trying to deny him getting the ball back,” Cheadle said.

Everyone got into the act in the second half. Casto, with only one field goal through three quarters, dunked three times in the fourth. He blocked six shots, and finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Karstetter had eight of his 12 points in the second half and Shawn Stockton seven of is 11.

Ferris scored 38 of the game’s final 53 points.