Ferris boys team an imposing opponent

Count Gonzaga Prep boys basketball coach Mike Haugen as one person duly impressed with Ferris following the Bullpups’ 64-43 loss to the Saxons on Friday.

The difference he saw in this year’s version compared to last year’s unbeatens was what a year in the weight room has meant to players. Several were part of Ferris’ state semifinal football team.

“They’re big, strong and athletic and know how to play the game,” he said. “I just thought they really ‘out-physicaled’ us. We were standing up with the ball, we weren’t down, we weren’t strong and we just weren’t in an attack mode at all.”

He said Ferris is as quick or quicker than last year and stronger, “and that’s not good. I don’t know how you compete against that.”

But Haugen added, it was a lesson to be learned by his youthful team playing the veteran defending state champions.

“I think we figured some things out in the second half and felt we played better,” he said. “You have to get experience playing teams like that.”

Ferris (9-0) has seven veterans from last year’s unbeaten team and there’s no discounting experience, said coach Don Van Lierop. It showed, even with one vet, Beau Brett, sitting out because of stitches in his elbow from a cut while lifting weights.

“Beau would have been key in this kind of environment,” said Van Lierop, who added Brett will be back tonight. “This was his kind of game.”

By contrast, the Bullpups had only one regular and a few “swing” players back. Picked in the lower half of the league, they bolted to a 6-1 start with a lineup primarily of juniors and sophomores.

Haugen said he was confident he’d get scoring from his posts, but was concerned about the guard play. Entering the Ferris game, juniors Sean Fischer (16.3 points per game) and David Stockton, were averaging nearly 28 points combined.

Early in the contest, bigger Saxons gridder/guards Shawn Stockton, Jeff Minnerly and Erick Cheadle were unmoveable obstacles out front. DeAngelo Casto had a triple double (20 points, 12 rebounds, 12 blocked shots) and Jared Karstetter roamed at will.

“I liked our balance,” said Van Lierop. “It was different guys at different times.”

“That’s just a year of maturity,” Haugen said.

Big help for Pullman

Like Gonzaga Prep, this year’s Pullman boys basketball team is made up primarily of players from last year’s junior varsity. But the Greyhounds are off to an 8-1 start, winning by an average of 18.4 points per game, including Saturday’s 90-50 victory against Colville.

Five players have scored in double figures at varying times this year and a couple more have been a basket away. Leading is transfer A.J. Sandford, who had 38 points in two wins during the weekend and is averaging 15.7 per game.

“He’s been a great addition,” said coach Craig Brantner. “He’s solidified point guard and is starting to get what we’re trying to do offensively. He’s been a great chemistry guy.”

Sandford is related to WSU assistant coach Ron Sanchez and came this year from Memphis, said Brantner, to escape gang influences there.

“He didn’t want to be a part of the environment,” said Brantner. “They just thought the quality of living here was much higher. He came in and has related well.”

Pullman is 3-0 in the Great Northern League, followed closely by Deer Park, West Valley and Clarkston (all 2-1).

While Brantner is pleased, if surprised by the Greyhounds’ start – “I didn’t expect to be 8-1 by any means. I didn’t know where we stood because everyone had three or four starters back but us.” – he warned that the GNL is very good and very competitive.

“Anyone can beat anybody,” he said. “You have to hold home court and steal a game on the road.”

Having Sandford at Pullman hasn’t hurt.

Wrestling addition

When Central Valley’s Jacob Neumann and Logan Bowman wrestled for third and fourth at 189 pounds during last weekend’s Pacific Northwest Classic tournament it underscored the pleasant dilemma facing the Bears.

Bowman, a 171-pound state champion last year at 1A Lake Roosevelt, has bolstered CV’s dual match lineup, but competed in the same weight class as state veteran Neumann, who moved to CV from Moses Lake a year ago.

Family issues prompted Bowman’s transfer and he became eligible last week. He lost to Neumann 2-1 in the medal match after both had reached the semifinals at the PNW.

Breaking the tie

Three GSL girls basketball teams are tied for second place with a fourth a half game back. They begin trying to break the logjam this week. Mead plays host to Central Valley (both 7-2) tonight. Thursday, University (7-3) faces the Bears during the Stinky Sneaker spirit game in the Arena and Saturday plays host to Shadle Park (7-2). They all trail Lewis and Clark (9-0). … Three Bi-County League boys teams have 10 wins 11 games into the 20-game season. Defending state champion Northwest Christian is 7-0 in league, one game ahead of Lind-Ritzville and Reardan. … Other unbeatens are the Freeman (12-0) and Colton (11-0) girls teams.