Jamil Miller, defensive pressure help No. 5 Gonzaga Prep pull away from No. 8 University

With the calendar flipped to the new year and the nonleague slate of games cleared, the Greater Spokane League shifted to league games on Thursday, with undefeated University, ranked No. 8 in the state 3A media poll, hosting one-loss Gonzaga Prep, ranked No. 5 in 4A.

The lofty rankings put a little more attention on the early-season battle.

Jamil Miller scored 23 points, Jace Swanson added 17 and the Bullpups (10-1) topped the Titans (9-1) 74-67.

Tyler Nelson led U-Hi with 19 points and Shane Skidmore added 18.

G-Prep coach Matty McIntyre was relieved to get the first league win out of the way against an undefeated opponent.

“Always,” he said. “But you always want a little bit more. You always want things to be a little bit better. So, we’ll keep working on it.”

He praised Miller, his 6-foot-6 senior inside presence.

“He’s been fantastic this year,” McIntyre said. “I’ve been so proud of how much his efficiency has improved. He’s our defensive stopper. He guards the best kid every time. So no, I just give a whole bunch of credit to him.”

G-Prep held U-Hi to nine points in the third quarter to gain some breathing room.

“We hang our hat on our defense, but man, give credit to University,” McIntyre said. “They do a lot of things right. They spread you out. You’ve got to guard the 3-point line and then with Skidmore in the inside, you know, it’s kind of like picking your poison. So, I’m proud of the way we came out in the second half.”

U-Hi made 7 of 8 from the line early in the fourth quarter, and Nelson’s layin with 3 minutes left completed a 12-4 run to pull U-Hi within 65-60.

But Jackson Floyd hit a pair of floaters in the lane and converted two free throws to make it a seven-point game again with 1 minute left.

“(Floyd) let the game come to him,” McIntyre said. “He took what was there.”

Both teams got out of the gate quickly and were tied at 18 after one quarter, with Miller and U-Hi’s AJ Wolfe scoring six points apiece.

Swanson hit a 3 from the corner early in the second to complete a seven-point run for the Bullpups, but U-Hi roared back to take a 33-30 lead after a pair of 3s by Gabe Heimbigner.

Miller scored a couple in the paint and Swanson’s runner just before the buzzer put G-Prep up 42-39 at halftime.

Miller hit a putback and Swanson went the distance with a steal to put the Bullpups up by eight early in the third quarter. They led 59-48 entering the fourth quarter.

“(Swanson) gave us a little spurt there,” McIntyre said, “I was really impressed the way that he handled (Nelson). We were having a really hard time and I thought Jace battled the entire way.”

Girls

Gonzaga Prep 63, University 44: Lucy Lynn scored 30 points and the Bullpups (8-3) pulled away from the Titans (5-6) in the early game at U-Hi.

Tied at 10 after one quarter, G-Prep led by eight at halftime and used a 20-point third quarter to stretch the lead.

“It feels great,” Lynn said . “We definitely go off to a slow start but played a really good defense in that second quarter and picked it back up.”

Bullpups first-year coach Geoff Arte felt good after his first league win.

“(Every win) is hard in Spokane,” he said. “Our kids did a good job defensively and calmed down offensively after that first quarter and started getting what we wanted.”

Julianna Jeross led U-Hi with 23 points and five 3-pointers. The Titans were without leading scorer Eliannah Ramirez, who was out with injury.