GSL Basketball: Aylah Cornwall goes for 31 points, Gonzaga Prep girls pull away from Central Valley 68-48; CV boys upend G-Prep

The Central Valley girls basketball team put its early-season four game win streak on the line Thursday against the visiting Gonzaga Prep team, which had won both of its first two games this season.

Whether it was both teams facing a tougher defense, or perhaps a bit of nerves taking on another challenger for the Greater Spokane League 4A/3A title, offense was at a premium – at least for the first three quarters.

Gonzaga Prep found another gear in the fourth, though, and pulled away from its host.

Junior Aylah Cornwall scored 31 points, 17 in the second half, and the Bullpups beat the Bears 68-48.

G-Prep led by just one after three quarters.

“It took us as a team to a little while to figure out what we … what was gonna be the best offense for us,” Gonzaga Prep coach Geoff Arte said. “CV is just so scrappy and hard to guard.”

Even though it was a nonleague affair, it set the tone for the teams’ league matchup on Jan. 23.

“The GSL just helps you so much down the road. Like, these are the kind of games you want for February and March, and just it’s what other leagues don’t get,” Arte said. “So, when they run into a team that plays good defense like CV does, they don’t know what to do because they haven’t seen it a ton of times. We get to see it every Tuesday and Friday night.”

Quinn Pederson hit two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 points for G-Prep while Charlee Peterson added 10 points – eight in the second half.

“It was an amazing team effort,” Cornwall said. “Charlee coming in, getting some good boards, kick outs, just as a team as a whole, not only my 31 points. I think we just played amazing. It was a really good win for us.”

Cornwall missed all of the 2024-25 season with injury.

“I’m working my way back, you know, cardiovascularly, trying to get back into it,” Cornwall said. “But it’s honestly great. I’m more than happy to be back.”

Cornwall scored 10 points in the first quarter, and the Bullpups led 12-10 after one. Quinn Pederson hit a 3 early in the second to give G-Prep (3-0) a five-point lead, but the Bullpups offense struggled the rest of the period. CV guard Olivia Patshkowski scored eight points in the quarter, and the Bears led 24-23 at the intermission.

Cornwall came out of the break on a mission, scoring nine points in the first 4 minutes of the third quarter, putting the Bullpups up 36-31. But G-Prep went cold again, and Domebo took over. She scored nine in the frame, most of which came in the latter stages, and the Bullpups led 40-39 entering the fourth.

A 7-1 run put G-Prep up 47-40 early in the fourth. Domebo fouled Peterson on a shot and was called for a technical foul. Peterson missed both of her free throws, but Cornwall hit the two for the technical. Bella Hernandez drained a 3 on the ensuing possession, and G-Prep went up 52-40.

“The 3-pointer kind of blew it open a little bit,” Arte said. “I mean, you get that many chances at some points, you better execute something.”

Cornwall picked up her fourth foul and went to the bench with 41/2 minutes left, but CV (4-1) couldn’t make a run. When she returned with 2:32 left the Pups led 62-44.

“We missed a lot of easy shots early, and we were letting it affect us in other places,” Arte said. “But we came out in the second half, and I think we kind of played the way we should.”

Boys

Central Valley 62, Gonzaga Prep 48: Orland Axton scored 23 points, Cameron Walls added 19 and the Bears (3-1) knocked off the Bullpups (4-1) in the late game.

“Holy cow,” Central Valley coach TJ Milless said. “We told the boys at halftime we were in this exact same position last year here at home, 12-point lead at half. That program is everything we want to be. They play physical. They do everything the right way. And so it’s like, ‘Hey guys, we’ve got to play together as one unit, just like they do.’ ”

G-Prep trimmed its deficit to five early in the third quarter, but Axton’s long 3 with 2:30 left in the period put CV back up by 11. Walls hit a long 3 with time winding down on the shot clock early in the fourth to make it 51-38.