District 6 4A/3A roundup: Gonzaga Prep boys regroup, outlast Chiawana in 4A semifinal; Mead girls beat Kamiakin, reach title game

Carter Nilson led four players in double figures with 17 points and top-seeded Gonzaga Prep beat fourth-seeded Chiawana 67-51 in a District 6 4A semifinal on Saturday at G-Prep.

Brogan Howell scored 15 points, Jackson Mott had 14 and Hudson Floyd added 10 for G-Prep (21-2), which hosts second-seeded Richland in the district title game on Thursday.

The Bullpups had 18 points at halftime.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” Gonzaga Prep coach Matty McIntyre said.

“We really were having a really hard time putting the ball through the hoop,” McIntyre said. “But we put so much value in our defense that I was proud of the way the kids didn’t let the offense dictate the rest of stuff.”

Down by four at the half, G-Prep used a 12-6 run to take a 30-28 lead, but Chiawana (19-4) replied with an 11-0 run. The Bullpups closed the quarter on an 11-1 run and Mott’s back-door layup on an assist by Howell put G-Prep up 41-40 entering the fourth quarter.

The run continued as the Bullpups outscored the Riverhawks 11-2 through the first four minutes of the quarter to take a 52-42 lead. The Bullpups went 11 of 13 at the line in the fourth.

“We got back the lead, and then we got back down by nine,” McIntyre said. “Gave up some things on the defensive end, but the kids hung in there and stayed composed.”

Richland 81, Mead 71: Lance Horntvedt scored 33 points, including 11 of 14 at the line, and the second-seeded host Bombers (22-0) beat the third-seeded Panthers (17-5).

Landen Northrop had 15 points and Josiah Scacco added 13 for Richland, No. 2 in 4A in the RPI.

Mead, which ran into early foul trouble, was led by Nash Dunham with 18 points, Karson Maze added 13 and Brady Thornton had 11. The Panthers host Ferris in a loser-out on Tuesday.

Lewis and Clark 50, Kamiakin 48: Asher Jensen scored 14 points and the visiting seventh-seeded Tigers (5-18) eliminated the sixth-seeded Braves (12-11).

LC plays at fourth-seeded Chiawana in a loser-out on Tuesday.

Ferris 51, Hanford 36: Balien Robinson scored 13 points and the fifth-seeded Saxons (8-14) eliminated the visiting eighth-seeded Falcons (3-19).

3A

Mt. Spokane 57, Cheney 46: Jaden Ghoreishi scored 18 points and the second-seeded Wildcats (15-7) outlasted the visiting seventh-seeded Blackhawks (7-14).

Mt. Spokane hosts third-seeded Walla Walla in a semifinal on Tuesday. Cheney plays at University in a loser-out.

Mt. Spokane trailed by three entering the fourth quarter. A 10-2 run to start the fourth gave them the lead, and Ghoreishi hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, then soared over defenders for a two-handed slam of an offensive rebound to make it an eight-point game with 2½ minutes to go.

Ghoreishi had 12 of his points in the final quarter.

“The first half they were doubling me pretty good,” Ghoreishi said. “It wasn’t my best half of the season. But that just opens opportunities for my teammates. … The slam’s gotta feel good cause that gets everyone going and the crowd went crazy.”

Rock Franklin had 12 points for Mt. Spokane. Juleon Horst led Cheney with 19 points and Liam Carver added 11.

North Central 56, Kennewick 53: Isaac Williams and Makai Daniels scored 15 points apiece and the visiting eighth-seeded Wolfpack (16-6) upset the top-seeded Lions (15-6) in a first-round game.

NC, which outscored Kennewick 21-15 in the fourth quarter, plays Central Valley in a semifinal on Tuesday.

Walla Walla 79, University 68: Truman Bullington hit six 3-pointers and scored 32 points and the Blue Devils (12-9) beat the visiting Titans (7-13) in a first-round game.

Jack Del Mese led U-Hi with 26 points. The Titans host Cheney in a loser-out on Tuesday.

Girls 4A

Mead 62, Kamiakin 55: Addison Wells Morrison scored 20 points, Caroline Spink added 11 and the top-seeded Panthers (15-6) defeated the visiting fourth-seeded Braves (16-4) in a semifinal.

Mead hosts second-seeded Chiawana in the district title game on Tuesday.

Aubrey Herrin led Kamiakin with 16 points.

Chiawana 78, Gonzaga Prep 64: Kaia Foster had 32 points, six rebounds and three assists and the second-seeded Riverhawks (21-1) downed the visiting third-seeded Bullpups (15-7) in a semifinal.

Laura Thompson had 25 points and Olivia McIntyre added 12 for G-Prep, which hosts a loser-out against Ferris on Tuesday.

Ferris 61, Pasco 49: Abby Colton led four in double figures with 16 points and the host Saxons (8-14) eliminated the Bulldogs (4-18).

Julianna Lewis scored 14 points while Brooke Chisholm and Mateia Eschenbacher added 11 apiece for Ferris.

Richland 58, Lewis and Clark 48: Taylor Davis and Mackenzie Schulz scored 14 points apiece and the sixth-seeded host Bombers (10-12) eliminated the seventh-seeded Tigers (9-13).

Rhiannon Kilgore led LC with 15 points.

3A

Ridgeline 76, Hermiston (Ore.) 52: Habiba Adam scored a season-high 18 points off the bench and the fourth-seeded Falcons (18-3) beat the visiting fifth-seeded Bulldogs (9-13).

Ridgeline travels to face top-seeded Kennewick in a semifinal on Tuesday.

Madi Crowley scored 16 points, and Emma Myers, Katelyn Taylor and Morgan Espinosa-Kelly had 12 points each.

Despite the production, Ridgeline coach Freddie Rehkow wasn’t happy with the execution.

“We did a lot of things wrong, and that’s not the way we got here,” he said. “They’re not happy with themselves either, and I think that’s a testament to what we’re expecting at this point. You know, it’s the playoffs. You can’t have just a hot quarter. You got to play four quarters.”

Adam scored 10 points off the bench as Ridgeline got out to a 16-12 lead. Taylor’s 3-pointer with three minutes left in the half pushed the lead to double digits and the Falcons led 37-22 at halftime. Ridgeline used a 26-11 run in the third quarter to open it up.

“I’m pleased we got the win, but man, we only got one day to get ready for Kennewick,” Rehkow said. “That’s gonna be a tough game down there.”

Southridge 53, University 46: Naomi Oatis scored 20 points and the third-seeded Suns (9-9) defeated the sixth-seeded visiting Titans (10-11). Sophie Carbajal led U-Hi with 19 points. The Titans host Mt. Spokane in a loser-out Tuesday.

Kennewick 69, Cheney 26: Rylee Bendewald scored 19 points and the top-seeded Lions (15-5) defeated the visiting eighth-seeded Blackhawks (5-16) . Natalie Richards and Isabell Weed scored six points apiece for Cheney, which plays at Hermiston in a loser-out Tuesday.