Area basketball preview: Big games abound with league titles still on the line
With the final weekend of league play upon us and the start of Districts next week, here’s a look at some of the biggest prep basketball games this weekend and how the league races stack up:
Greater Spokane League
Rogers (2-17, 2-15) at Ferris (15-4, 13-4): Ferris, ranked ninth in state 4A in the latest WIAA RPI ratings, and Central Valley (14th) are jockeying for third place and the No. 2 seed to the 4A subregional, which begins on Wednesday. That team gets to host a tourney opener.
The Saxons edged Lewis and Clark in overtime on Thursday and hold a one-game lead over CV, which handled Mt. Spokane, with the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday. The Bears hold the tiebreaker against Ferris due to a pair of wins over the Saxons in league play.
Shadle Park (16-3, 14-3) at Central Valley (14-5, 12-5): Simply, the Bears must knock off the Highlanders and hope Rogers plays the game of their season against the Saxons.
Great Northern
Clarkston (17-2, 11-0) at Cheney (8-11, 1-10): The only drama left in the GNL is if Clarkston, ranked first in state 2A in the WIAA RPI ratings, can stay undefeated in the league on Friday and hold that No.1 overall ranking when it’s time to seed for the state playoffs.
Pullman (14-5, 7-4) at East Valley (10-9, 5-6): The Greyhounds are second in the league and ranked fifth in state after Thursday’s win over West Valley.
Northeast A
Finished league play on Thursday. Freeman (19-1, 14-0), ranked first in state 1A, beat Chewelah to end the season perfect in league play. Newport (13-7, 10-4) took second place while Medical Lake (13-7, 9-5) and Lakeside (11-9, 9-5) finished tied for third. The teams split their season series.
Northeast 2B
Colfax (13-5, 11-3) and Liberty (13-5, 11-3) are tied atop the South Division standings. Both play twice, with Colfax at Reardan (3-15, 2-12) on Friday and at Tekoa-Rosalia (4-14, 2-12) on Saturday and Liberty hosting Asotin (9-8, 9-5) on Friday and at Reardan on Saturday.
Northwest Christian, third in state 2B, sewed up the North Division title last week and can finish with a perfect league record by knocking off Wilbur-Creston (6-12, 5-9) and Kettle Falls (5-14, 2-13).
Northeast 1B
Wellpinit (15-3, 10-3) at Odessa-Harrington (11-7, 9-4): The only game left in league play will decide second place in the South Division on Friday, with Wellpinit one game ahead at tip. The Redskins beat the Titans 77-70 in their earlier meeting on Jan. 10.
Southeast 1B
Pomeroy (16-1, 12-0), is ranked seventh in state 1B and will try to finish perfect in league with games against ninth in state Waitsburg (11-4, 7-3) and Prescott (9-6, 7-4), both among four teams with seven league wins in second place.
Idaho
Coeur d’Alene (8-8, 2-3) at Post Falls (12-2, 4-0): The Trojans, third in the Idaho state 5A media poll and first in the Inland Empire 5A, hosts the Vikings on Saturday, which could finish anywhere from second to fourth.
Girls
The GSL is pretty well set, with Central Valley (19-0, 17-0), Mt. Spokane (16-3, 14-3) and Gonzaga Prep (12-7, 12-5) all locked into the top three spots with just one game to play each.
In the Inland Empire, Post Falls (17-2, 5-1) leads Lake City (16-4, 4-2) by one game with one to play. The Trojans host Coeur d’Alene (7-10, 0-6) while the Timberwolves face Lewiston (13-6, 3-3) on Saturday.
Davenport (17-2, 13-2) at St. George’s (16-2, 13-1): St. George’s has to get past Springdale (1-17, 0-14) on Friday to set up the clash of titans in the Northeast 2B North on Saturday. If the Dragons beat Springdale they will enjoy a one-game lead going into it. St. George’s is ranked seventh in state 2B while the Lancers are ranked fifth.
In the South Division, Liberty (16-2, 12-2) and Colfax (13-5, 12-2) are tied and both have a pair to play yet.
Colton (16-2, 11-1) at Oakesdale (15-3, 11-1): Both have games on Friday but if they survive, that sets up a dramatic game on Saturday for first in league. It’s unfamiliar territory for perennial state champ Colton to be challenged this late in league.
The teams are ranked 1-2 in state 1B. The difference: Oakesdale won on the Wildcats’ home court in overtime on Jan. 13 to snap a lengthy home- and league-winning streak so you know Colton wants to go in and return the favor. It doesn’t get much bigger for small-school basketball.