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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

District 8 3A girls: Jayda Noble leads sharp-shooting Mt. Spokane over Kennewick in title game

Mt. Spokane coach David Pratt address his team following the Wildcats 73-54 win over Kennewick in the District 8 3A title game on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Washington. (Dave Nichols / The Spokesman-Review)

It was raining 3s in the girls 3A title game. Well, at least for the “home” team.

Greater Spokane League MVP Jayda Noble had two of Mt. Spokane’s 12 3-pointers and finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the top-seeded Wildcats over Kennewick 73-54 in the District 8 3A championship game at the Toyota Center in Kennewick on Friday.

All-GSL first-team guard Emma Main had 17 points and frosh Destiny Kamalu-Vargas added 11 as the Wildcats (18-3) finished with their highest point total of the season.

Kennewick (17-3) faces Kamiakin (6-17) in an all-Mid-Columbia Conference second-place game on Saturday.

Mt. Spokane coach David Pratt said the long-distance shooting wasn’t a pregame emphasis.

“Our goal actually was get it inside, but they were leaving us open,” he said. “We wanted to kind of cut a little bit more and get into the paint a little bit more.”

Noble, a senior headed to University of Washington next season, added six assists and six steals.

“I love this so much,” she said. “I’m gonna miss it a lot. I’m ready to move on the next step – but after a few more weeks.”

Kamalu-Vargas drained a pair from beyond the arc in the first 2 minutes and the Wildcats jumped to an 12-2 lead. She hit another midway through the frame, Jaimyn Sides drilled one at the horn and Mt. Spokane led 22-10 after one.

Main scored the first five points of the second quarter and the Cats stretched the lead to 15.

Aislin Fiander buried one from distance to cap a 8-1 run and draw the Lions within nine. But Noble went the length off steal, then stole the inbound pass for another bucket and a 14-point advantage.

Kyara Sayers – one of four players 6-foot or better for the Cats – hit a long three at the buzzer and Mt. Spokane led 43-24 at intermission. The Wildcats had six 3-pointers in the half.

“All of our posts know how to dribble, all of our guards know how to cut hard and defend themselves in the post,” Noble said. “I mean, that’s the thing about our team – anyone can play basically any position at any time.”

Kennewick opened the third with a 13-6 run to get the deficit back to 10. Vargas ended the run with a floater then Main hit from long distance to make it 57-46 after three.

“We knew they wouldn’t go away,” Pratt said. “We told him at halftime ‘This game’s not over.’ We were up 19 and at half, and we held him to 23 in the first half and they scored 23 in the third quarter alone.”

Noble drained a pair of 3s from the top of the key at the start of the fourth, then Main hit from the corner – the fourth of the quarter and 12th of the game for the Cats – to put the lead back to 15.

Kamiakin 60, Hermiston 50: Nikole Thomas scored 16 points with 10 rebounds and the Braves (6-17) eliminated the Bulldogs (14-9). Kathryn Hollenberg scored 13 points and Amani Davis added 12 for Kamikin. Jazlyn Romero led Hermiston with 13 points and nine rebounds.