LC recovers, beats Prep

If you don’t turn the basketball over, Lewis and Clark coach Jim Redmon sagely observed, you win games.

Not that his Tigers took the advice to heart during one of the sloppiest first halves by an LC team in the coach’s memory.

But they righted things in the second half, used their size to good advantage inside and outlasted visiting Gonzaga Prep 78-66 in a wild Greater Spokane League girls basketball game Friday night.

The Tigers uncharacteristically committed turnovers instead of causing them, giving up the ball 17 times and trailing at intermission by three points.

But they went to “bigs” Haley Hendricksen and Nakia Arquette for points around the basket, cut down on their mistakes and finally got away from the Bullpups in the game’s final 2 minutes.

“To their (G-Prep’s) credit, they make you play that way,” Redmon said of the harried first-half pace. “You know it’s going to be an ugly game. You have to earn every point when you play them and if you’re not mentally tough they make you pay for it.”

He said the intent was to work inside from game’s outset, but LC got into a hurry and the ball flew every which way but to the posts.

The Bullpups – who had 13 turnovers – capitalized on sweet shooting by Ashley Largent and Tia Presley to jump to a seven-point first-quarter lead.

LC rallied early in the second period before Largent swished 3-pointers on each side of the court during a 10-point spurt that stretched the lead to 28-20 with 3 minutes left until intermission.

Arquette, who had 16 rebounds for the night, scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half. Hendrickson, scoreless at halftime, contributed nine more.

“We kind of talked at the half about getting the ball inside because we have three huge posts (including impressive 6-foot-3 sophomore Abong Taka),” said the 6-1 Arquette. “Our guards did a great job with their entry passes.”

They scored six straight points to lead 48-43 late in the third quarter and never trailed.

LC’s Devyn Galland scored eight straight points, including 6 for 6 at the line to put the game away and keep the Tigers (7-3, 5-0 GSL) on top.

Presley finished with 30 points and Largent 19 for G-Prep (6-4, 3-2). Daisy Burke added 13 for LC.

Mead 67, University 66: Jordan Hurley scored on a putback with 5 seconds remaining and the host Panthers (7-3, 3-2) escaped an upset bid by the Titans (3-7, 1-4), who hit nearly 50 percent from the field. Hurley took a cross-key pass from Jazmine Redmon on the block, missed her first attempt, but made the second. U-Hi missed a shot near the key as time expired.

Taylor Ingebritsen scored 24 points, including 10 for 10 from the line. Redmon had 21 and Chenise Pakootas scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half. Zoe Scott scored 17, and Lexi Clark and Nyesha Joseph 12 apiece for U-Hi.

East Valley 46, Mt. Spokane 38: A cold start at home doomed the Wildcats (2-8, 1-3), with the Knights (3-7, 2-2) leading 12-2 after a quarter and going on to the important victory in a game between 3A teams. Mt. Spokane’s Kennadie Clute led all scorers with 13 points.

North Central 52, Rogers 20: Riley Holsinger, Hailey Markham-Patti and Tara VanWeerdhuizen paced the visiting Indians (6-4, 3-1), who broke away with a 22-point third quarter.

Central Valley 63, Ferris 40: A hot start by the visiting Saxons (1-9, 0-5), including three 3-pointers, gave way to 2-for-12 shooting in the second quarter and the Bears (7-3, 4-1) began to pull away. Nine CV players scored, three in double figures, led by Brooke Gallaway’s 18 points.