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The Fitz: Lewis and Clark boys pull away, LC girls lose big lead

Naje Smith of Lewis and Clark (left) takes the opening tipoff at the final game of the night on Friday at the Dan Fitzgerald Memorial Basketball Showcase, hosted by Lewis and Clark High School. LC won 66-46 over Archbishop Mitty from San Jose. (Dave Nichols / The Spokesman-Review)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

Jonny Love scored 20 points, Naje Smith added 18 including an impressive fourth-quarter run, and Lewis and Clark topped Archbishop Mitty 66-46 in the nightcap of a four-game day at the Dan Fitzgerald Memorial Basketball Showcase on Friday, hosted by LC.

“Dan Fitzgerald was a personal friend.” LC coach Jim Redmon said. “I love him. I miss him. We couldn’t be more honored to be playing in (the tournament).”

Archbishop Mitty, from San Jose, hit a couple of 3s at the start of the fourth to get to within single digits. But Love worked the paint early in the fourth, twice getting layups and drawing a foul on another attempt – Riley Grigsby’s fifth – after which Love hit both free throws.

Smith’s emphatic dunk with 3 1/2 minutes left made it a 14-point game. On the next possession he threw it down again and then picked up two more inside baskets for a personal eight-point run and a 62-43 lead with 1:42 left.

LC outscored the Monarchs 21-13 in the fourth quarter.

“They traveled. We didn’t. We’re in our home gym,” Redmon said. “Their first game, our second game. I think all those things were in effect. Total respect for them though.”

Love had the hot hand in the first quarter. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers and and added an inside bucket later and the Tigers led 16-8 at the end of one.

The Tigers put the clamps on Mitty in the second quarter, allowing just five points. Smith picked up a couple of inside baskets, including a dunk, and LC led 28-13 at intermission.

Both teams heated up in the third quarter, with the Monarchs outscoring the Tigers 20-17 in the frame, picking up 3-pointers from four different shooters. Still, the Tigers carried a 45-33 lead into the fourth quarter.

Sheldon girls 64, Lewis and Clark 60: Fallon Hanson scored 19 points – 14 in the second half – and the Irish from Eugene, Oregon, came back from a 19-point halftime deficit to beat the Tigers.

Hanson made 8 of 9 from the line after halftime as LC committed 15 second-half fouls. Macie Reinen hit a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to give Sheldon its first lead of the game at 61-60.

“We said at halftime, ‘The only thing that’s going to get them back in is if we start turning the ball over with the press,’” LC coach Gabe Medrano said. “We took care of the ball in the first half but we decided to throw it away 16 times in the second half.”

Despite the sting of the loss, it didn’t deter from the atmosphere of the event. “This is a great tournament,” Medrano said. “My first one. It’s been really exciting to be part of that action and LC does a great job hosting it. It’s a fun tournament for sure.”

LC’s Kaylee Bishop came out firing with three 3-pointers in the first quarter and the Tigers led 14-5 after one.

Bishop hit another pair of 3s in the second quarter and freshman Emma Maxwell drained a pair from long distance and had eight in the frame. Sheldon committed 16 turnovers before intermission and trailed 39-20 at the break.

Sheldon turned on the press at the start of the second half and cut into the deficit as Hanson picked up nine in the third. LC led 52-39 after three.

In the fourth, the Tigers continued to have trouble with the press and went cold from the field. Sheldon whittled the lead to two with just over a minute to go, when Reinen put the Irish up for good.

For LC, Bishop finished with 18 points on six 3-pointers – one shy of the tournament record for girls or boys – and Dominique Arquette added 13.

Ferris boys 76, San Ramos Valley 32: Mike Ervin scored 18 points with six rebounds and the Saxons handled the Wolves of Danville, California. Ferris led 53-18 at intermission and held the Wolves scoreless in the third quarter. Shamrock Campbell added 11 points for the Saxons.

“It’s nice to play someone we’re not familiar with this early,” Ferris coach Sean Mallon said of the out-of-town opponent. “We’re honored to be invited, especially with something associated with coach Fitzgerald. Obviously a legend in this community.”

Eastlake girls 58, Mt. Spokane 43: The Wolves opened the game on a 21-5 run and led by double digits the entire way. Anna Azelby led Eastlake with 17 points. Mt. Spokane was led by Aspyn Adams with 17 points.