Ferris gets defensive against Prep

The outcome of Friday night’s Greater Spokane League boys basketball feature pitting unbeaten defending State 4A champion Ferris against Gonzaga Prep’s once-beaten Kiddie Corps was predictable.

The Saxons were too big, too active and too experienced, a combination that produced a runaway 62-43 triumph.

“That game had some energy,” said Ferris coach Don Van Lierop about what has become a rivalry between the schools.

Led on offense early by 6-foot-8 DeAngelo Casto with eight first-quarter points, coupled with an intimidating double-team defense, Ferris (9-0) shot to a 21-9 lead after a quarter and was never challenged.

The team’s ability to clog passing lanes made it difficult for the Bullpups (6-2) to find open players or open shots. There was no matching the Saxons’ speed in transition.

“That first half was by far the best defense we’ve played, maybe in two years,” said Ferris’ Jared Karstetter, who scored 19 points. “In the first half they couldn’t score. I thought that was the main factor in the game.”

Casto set the tone with an early steal and slam after going the length of the court. Erick Cheadle followed with back-to-back baskets and a 9-2 lead. For every basket G-Prep made thereafter, Ferris countered with two and by halftime had an 18-point lead.

The game was turnover- and foul-filled in the second half, with the Saxons leading by as many as 26 before G-Prep’s Sean Fischer found his 3-point touch and helped cut the margin.

Casto had his best night since returning to the lineup. He led all scorers with 20 points and had 12 rebounds and 12 blocked shots. He also added a couple of steals.

“It’s my first game since I’ve been back where I was in sync with everybody,” Casto said. “It’s so fun playing with these guys.”

But not necessarily fun playing against him, G-Prep coach Mike Haugen pointed out.

“He makes it hard to attack the basket,” Haugen said.

That enabled the rest of the Saxons to play the passing lanes, wait for the Bullpups’ eyes to get big and go out and intercept the basketball, he said.

Casto had dunks for Ferris’ first two baskets. His other scores came on a drive and a spinning 180-degree move to end the quarter after partially blocking a shot and hurrying up court.

Karstetter also had two dunks, one following a Casto steal, then drew noisy reaction from Bullpups fans when he stole the ball, set up for a third, but slammed the ball off the back of the rim and it ricocheted all the way back toward G-Prep’s end.

By halftime, the pair had 19 of Ferris’ 34 points. They combined for seven more, with Karstetter making five free throws for a 43-20 lead early in a third quarter that produced seven turnovers and 16 fouls, 11 on the Bullpups.

Ferris went to the line 22 times in the second half, scoring half its 30 points on free throws.

Fischer made three of G-Prep’s four second-half 3-pointers and scored 12 of his team-high 14.

But Ferris won its 38th straight game over two seasons.

“They’re pretty good,” said Haugen, tongue-in-cheek.

Shadle Park 57, Mead 56: The Highlanders (8-1) just managed to keep pace with Ferris as Anthony Brown scored with about 3 seconds left to win at Mead.

Brown scored 18 points and Zack Humphrey 17. Brendan Ingebritsen had 24 to lead the Panthers (3-6).

Mt. Spokane 62, North Central 30: The host Wildcats (4-4) bolted to a 23-7 first-quarter lead and increased it to 41-13 over the Indians (3-6) in this early-season matchup of 3A classification schools. Chaz Johnson set a school single-game record with 11 assists and had four steals. Ryan Selland and Jordon Poynor combined for 32 points.

Rogers 57, Lewis and Clark 52: The difference in this back-and-forth game was free throws. The Pirates (3-6) made 14 of 21 while the visiting Tigers (2-4) were just 3 of 12. LC led early and Rogers took a two-point lead after three quarters. The last lead change was 50-49 before the Pirates held on.

Rogers’ Andrew Durant scored 16 points and was 6 of 8 from the line. LC was led by Sean Hoffmann (15) and Taylor Eglet (12).

University 60, East Valley 53: The visiting Titans (4-5) rallied from a halftime deficit to outscore the Knights (0-9) 36-26 in the final two quarters. It was a game for posts, EV’s Danny Marshall with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while U-Hi’s Ryan Dixon scored 16.

Central Valley 58, Melbourne 36: Ten CV players scored in this non-league game in which the Bears (6-4) defeated the touring Australian team.