Bears down Titans in Stinky Sneaker
Central Valley High School basketball player William Davis had done his part on the Spokane Arena court. William Davis the student body president got to do the rest when the winner of the Stinky Sneaker was announced.
Davis was one of three players who scored 12 points as the Bears defeated University 51-46 for a season sweep of the two-game series between district rivals. He also was presented the coveted trophy as ASB president and enthusiastically raced to the crowd in celebration.
Two weeks earlier CV had outlasted the Titans 71-70 in an up and down game at U-Hi. This time, in front of the largest crowd in Stinky Sneaker history (5,045), the Bears led from the outset, shutting out the Titans in the first quarter for a 10-0 lead.
“That helped,” said coach Rick Sloan. “The ball was bouncing our way.”
U-Hi rallied to within three points by the end of the third quarter, but came no closer.
The win was important because both teams entered it tied with 5-5 records in the Greater Spokane League in the middle of a pack of playoff aspirants.
“A few of us are clumped up for the fourth and fifth spot,” said Sloan, “so it was a much-needed win for us.”
The Bears (6-5) maintained fourth place with the victory, the Titans (5-6) dropped into a tie for fifth among 4A schools with Mead.
Tonight CV hosts East Valley (0-11) and Tuesday entertains a currently hot Mead (5-5) team that beat the Bears easily last Tuesday.
U-Hi is home tonight against second-place Shadle Park (10-1), then has a Tuesday bye.
Titan girls in biggie
University continued its dominance of Central Valley with a 50-42 victory Thursday during the Stinky Sneaker game. Tonight, 7:15, the Titans (8-3) host second-place Shadle Park.
Last time the two teams met, Shadle won 38-29.
Lewis and Clark is unbeaten in league. The Titans are fourth, a game behind Shadle and Mead.
By sweeping its season series with CV, University moved a game ahead of the Bears (7-4). The Titans outscored CV 24-8 over the final 8 minutes, 35 seconds of the first half for a 29-14 lead and led by 17 points in the fourth quarter.
The Bears outscore them 13-2 to trail 48-42 with 23 seconds left in the game.
CV is home against East Valley (1-10) tonight and Mead (9-2) for the second time in a week on Tuesday.
Showdown for Eagles
West Valley basketball teams are in Pullman tonight for the biggest games of their Great Northern League seasons.
The boys (6-3 overall and 2-1 in league prior to Friday’s game against Riverside) play the league-leading Greyhounds (8-1, 3-0). The WV and Pullman girls were tied for first (both at 8-1, 3-0).
Five different Eagles boys scored at or near double figures during a split of last week’s league games with Cheney and Clarkston, losing by a point, winning by two.
“We could easily be 3-0 or 1-2,” said coach Jamie Nilles of the equality in the GNL.
Melissa Mauro scored 22 in a girls team win over Clarkston and leads in scoring with 13.8 average. Freshmen Shaniqua Nilles and Hannah Love are also double figures scorers.
As close as the league is, stealing a win on the road is imperative, coaches say. The Eagles get their chance today.
Brothers gang up
The brothers Owen are ganging up on the rest of GSL wrestling teams.
Tim Owen‘s Ferris Saxons (6-2) upset East Valley 33-32 to create a virtual 3-way tie for first place among the Knights (5-1), John Owen‘s Central Valley (7-1) and Don Owen‘s University (5-1).
With three matches remaining, beginning next week, the Greater Spokane League champion or two will be decided. U-Hi travels to EV on Tuesday and hosts CV on Jan. 23 to determine which of the three Valley teams winds up there.