GSL girls: Mt. Spokane dials long distance in win over University

Some nights a team can live – or die – by the 3-point shot.

On Friday, Mt. Spokane hit 12 shots from beyond the arc and the visiting Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in girls 3A by the WIAA RPI system, beat 4A No. 15 University 64-49 in a Greater Spokane League showdown.

Aspyn Adams heated up in the second half for the Wildcats (17-1, 9-1) and led all scorers with 20 points, including three 3-pointers. Niveya Henley hit four from long distance and finished with 18 points.

“My team gave me confidence to shoot the ball,” Henley said. “They were setting really good screens for me to get open and have that confidence to shoot.”

Ellie Boni led U-Hi (13-5, 8-4) with 18 points and eclipsed the career 1,000-point mark.

The Wildcats responded after suffering their first loss of the season, to Central Valley, earlier in the week.

“For us to come in here tonight, we knew this would be a good environment for us,” Mt. Spokane coach David Pratt said. “Come out and play hard. And we came out and played tough today.”

Adams had one basket in the first half but heated up in the third quarter with 14 points, with all of her 3s. Henley took over in the fourth, making three from distance.

“In the locker room (at halftime) we were talking about how we needed to play with more confidence and we just needed to get the ball rolling,” Henley said. “We were out of it a bit in the first half but got it going in the second.”

“(University) did a nice job of clogging things up, which opened up shots,” Pratt said. “We said ‘drive in and get in there and that will open up your shots on the perimeter.’

“They took that to heart. They really did.”

Averi Adams (nine points) popped a pair of 3-pointers in the first and the Wildcats led 10-7 after one.

Henley scored nine points in the second as the Wildcats started to move ahead, but Boni answered with a pair of 3s and went 4 of 4 at the line in the quarter. Mt. Spokane led 28-26 at intermission.

That’s when Aspyn Adams got going. Her two 3-pointers sparked a 9-2 run at the start of the quarter and her third lifted Mt. Spokane to double-digit lead. But Boni and Jackson McCliment-Call (nine points) both got to the bucket late in the quarter and Mt. Spokane led by five after three.

Henley and Jayda Noble made back-to-back 3s at the start of the fourth to bump the lead back up to double digits and Henley drained two more to open the lead up a bit. The Wildcats pulled away, outscoring U-Hi 20-10 in the fourth.

“I told them, ‘If you’re wide open you gotta pull them,’ ” Pratt said. “If you’re a good 3-point shooter – and we have a bunch – and you’re wide open, go ahead and take that.”

Noble finished with nine points and grabbed 13 rebounds, added a handful of steals and collected several loose balls on the floor.

“I challenged her to get 12 (rebounds) or more, and she lived up to the challenge,” Pratt said. “We said for us to be successful we need you to rebound. And that went for the whole team.”

Central Valley 72, North Central 44: Anika Chalich scored 17 points, Camryn Skaife had 11 and the No. 2-ranked Bears (16-2, 11-1) handled the Indians (10-8, 5-5). Quincy McDeid led NC with 15 points.

Lewis and Clark 84, Shadle Park 15: Katelyn Peters scored 14 points, Anna Reeves added 10 and the visiting No. 5-ranked Tigers (15-3, 10-2) beat the Highlanders (1-17, 1-9). Katelyn Pomerinke led Shadle Park with eight points.

Gonzaga Prep 58, Mead 51: Leah Carney scored 13 points, Demi Howlett added 12 and the visiting Bullpups (11-7, 6-6) beat the Panthers (8-10, 4-8). Erica Nessen led Mead with 12 points.

Ferris 71, Rogers 14: Payton Royston scored 13 points, Elliot Hencz added 11 and the visiting Saxons (7-11, 2-10) defeated the Pirates (0-17, 0-10).