Cheadle ignites Ferris
TACOMA – If the Ferris Saxons were going to advance to tonight’s 8:30 State 4A boys basketball semifinal, Edmonds-Woodway was going to make them earn it.
“One of the things we want is to take a team out it its comfort zone,” said E-W coach Gail Pintler. “We made them work for most everything they got. It would have been nice if they hadn’t got it.”
Ferris (27-0) got enough to get past the Warriors 59-47 in Thursday’s quarterfinal at the Tacoma Dome, moving within two wins of its second straight state title. The Saxons have won 56 consecutive games. They will play Bellarmine Prep in a semifinal at 8:30 p.m.
The victory came, thanks in great measure, from Erick Cheadle, who hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points in the first half when the Saxons took a 14-point lead.
From there, the Saxons nursed it with enough offense when necessary, but didn’t help themselves with 56 percent free-throw shooting.
Ferris went to the line 39 times and made 22 against a team that proved more physical than players thought.
“They really are a really tough team,” said an appreciative Cheadle, who is going on to play college football. “I was surprised.”
Edmonds-Woodway (20-5) challenged everything the Saxons did except Cheadle’s perimeter shooting.
“We stepped back off 14 (Cheadle) and said we’d make him beat us,” said Pintler, a Central Valley graduate who came out of coaching retirement two years ago and has guided Edmonds-Woodway to two state berths.
Cheadle obliged.
“Coach told me I need to look for my shot more,” said Cheadle, who lately hadn’t been much of an offensive factor. “I came out looking to shoot.”
His first two 3-pointers put Ferris ahead 10-4. He hit two free throws as the lead stretched to 14-5.
DeAngelo Casto converted a dunk and free throw at the end of the quarter and Jared Karstetter scored six points, including a 3-pointer, to make it 23-10.
The Warriors cut that lead to 34-28 early in the third period before Karstetter scored eight points to put the Saxons back in front 47-34.
The entire fourth quarter was spent at the free-throw line. The Saxons finished 12 for 24 in the period.
“Edmonds-Woodway is very solid as you saw,” said Ferris coach Don Van Lierop. “We had to beat them. They weren’t going to help you. They are rugged out there. We didn’t help ourselves all the time and it was a close game. Erick’s offense was timely.”
Karstetter scored 18 points and Cheadle 17. Casto, one of three other Saxons to score in the game, pulled down 11 rebounds and had seven blocked shots.