Jaden Ghoreishi returns from long-term illness, helps Mt. Spokane advance; Gonzaga Prep boys shut down Glacier Peak | State basketball

It had been since Dec. 20 that Mt. Spokane senior Jaden Ghoreishi suited up for the Wildcats. Last year’s Greater Spokane League MVP was averaging 18.1 points per game through the nonleague portion of the season – but he knew he wasn’t right, thinking maybe it was a cold he couldn’t shake off.

Turned out, it was much more serious – blood clots in his lungs. He was shut down from all physical activity and missed the entire GSL league season. The Wildcats mustered through though without their leader, going 7-2 in league and 17-6 overall, more than enough to win the District 6 3A tournament and earn the No. 3 seed to the state tournament.

When Ghoreishi stepped onto the court at West Valley High School on Saturday for the Wildcats’ State 3A regional round game against sixth-seeded Prairie, it was like a weight lifted off the entire program.

And though Ghoreishi did not start, and his minutes were strictly monitored, he made an impact on every part of the game.

Junior Cade Strocsher scored 16 points, Ghoreishi finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, and the Wildcats (17-6) outlasted the Falcons (18-4) 59-53.

Mt. Spokane advanced to a State 3A quarterfinal on Thursday at Tacoma Dome. Prairie faces a Round-of-12 loser-out on Wednesday.

“Not being able to play for two months, I was just wanting to get out there and show everyone what I could do. And I did,” Ghoreishi said. “I was little rusty, but we got the job done.”

“You could tell in the second half that he was ‘back,’ getting his feet back and feeling good, and just a feel for the speed,” Mt. Spokane coach David Wagenblast said. “It’s tough to miss two months and then go in and be expected to be all-world. And he did a great job.”

Ghoreishi checked in at 5:19 of the first quarter and immediately pulled down a rebound on a missed free throw. A few moments later he rose above the defense for a tip-in at the rim for Mt. Spokane’s first basket – and his first points in two months. A driving layup by sophomore Tysen Lewis at the end of the period tied it at 13 after one.

Mt. Spokane was limited to six points in the second quarter – four from Ghoreishi. Prairie’s Payton Poppe came off the bench for a late 3 and the Falcons led 23-19 at the half.

An 8-3 run out of the break, ended by a Jaceten Reijonen driving layup through traffic, gave the Wildcats the lead at 27-26 early in the third. Ghoreishi scored on a put-back, then banked one in through heavy traffic, and Mt. Spokane went up by eight.

“When they hack and I get the bucket, it feels good because, like, I’ve got my strength back and I can do what I should have been doing all along,” Ghoreishi said.

Next time down he converted a fastbreak with a massive two-handed jam and Mt. Spokane led 45-35 entering the fourth.

Prairie chipped away at the deficit, and Tavin Timperley’s 3 with four minutes to go made it a five-point game. But the Wildcats responded with a 6-0 run, with Strocsher scoring twice in the paint.

“I knew that they can’t guard us all,” Strocsher said. “I just get my matchups and get to go to work and abuse it. It’s nice having all these other weapons around me on my team that can help stretch them out.”

Ghoreishi finished a lob from Rock Franklin to make it a 10-point game with a minute left and the Wildcats happily moved on with their leader back.

“Before Rock got the ball, I was like, ‘Hey, you got me, you got me,’ ” Ghoreishi said. “I tapped him on the butt in transition. We looked at each other. He loved it.”

“It’s just a breath of fresh air,” Strocsher said of Ghoreishi’s return. “We built our chemistry when he was out, and then he comes back and he can just make plays like that lob Rock had to him. It got our energy going and fires everybody up.”

4A

Gonzaga Prep 45, Glacier Peak 41: Dylynn Groves scored 15 points, leading three in double figures, and the fifth-seeded Bullpups (19-6) edged the fourth-seeded Grizzlies (21-2) in a State 4A regional round game at North Creek HS in Bothell.

Jack Pierce had 13 points and Ryan Carney added 12 for G-Prep, which advanced to a state quarterfinal on Thursday at Tacoma Dome.

3A

Central Valley 51, Liberty (Issaquah) 63: Jackson Whitaker scored 21 points, going 10 of 11 at the line, and the 12th-seeded Patriots (21-6) eliminated the 13th-seeded Bears (18-8) at Issaquah HS.

Cameron Walls and Orland Axton led CV with 14 points apiece and Emerson Lippoldt added 10.

The teams combined for 10 points in the first quarter, then Liberty exploded for 28 in the second, led 32-23 at the half and were able to keep the Bears at arm’s length down the stretch.

2A

Pullman 73, Tumwater 38: Gavyn Dealy scored 20 points and the fourth-seeded Greyhounds (19-3) handled the fifth-seeded Thunderbirds (21-3) at West Valley HS.

Brandon Brown had 16 points and Ryan Ha added 15 for Pullman, which advanced to a quarterfinal on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. at Yakima Valley SunDome.

West Valley 63, Lakewood 59 (OT): Jordan Johnson hit a floater at the buzzer in regulation, and the 13th-seeded Eagles (16-7) controlled overtime to eliminate the 12th-seeded Cougars (17-8) at Mount Vernon HS.

Sophomore Hewson Spencer led West Valley with 21 points; Nathan Zettle and Noah Willard added 12 points apiece. The Eagles advanced to a State 2A Round-of-12 game at Yakima Valley SunDome on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. against Tumwater/Pullman loser.