Ferris uses hot start, fast finish to top WV

The Ferris-West Valley boys basketball game between teams with the Greater Spokane League’s best records proved what coaches have been saying all year: No lead is safe when GSL teams meet.

But the home-standing Saxons (10-2, 4-1) took it to extremes, losing a 17-point first-half lead before recovering for a 65-54 victory Tuesday night in a game important to both.

Each was coming off an upset loss on Friday and, said Ferris coach Barry Olson, needed to get things going again.

“Fortunately, we responded at home and that’s all I can say,” Olson said.

Whether it was the result of pregame motivation or merely the fact Ferris caught WV (10-2, 3-2) by surprise with its quickness, the Saxons came out afire.

In the game’s first four minutes, Ferris had a 17-0 lead that put the Eagles on their heels. But over the next 12 minutes, WV outscored Ferris 26-8, including the final 12 points of the first quarter, to lead 26-25 at halftime.

“I think what it is, is I have to tone down my motivational speech beforehand,” Olson said in jest. “I get them so fired up and ready to go they kind of burn it all out. It’s kind of like eating a candy bar.”

Actually, he said, he feels it takes teams a while to adjust to the overall quickness of the Saxons as the reason for such quick starts in the last two games.

Ferris jumped on Gonzaga Prep 10-0 Friday, but ultimately lost that game. The 17-0 start against WV seemed almost insurmountable, but it wasn’t until the second half of the game that Ferris ultimately took control.

“I don’t know what goes on in our heads,” said Ferris guard Jeremy Templeton, who authored the quick start and strong finish, scoring 23 points. “But it’s not a pretty sight.”

Templeton and Ryan Shelby, who scored 15, combined for 15 of the 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting, including three 3-point baskets.

Then, just as suddenly, the team went flat and the Eagles outscored the Saxons 21-4. They led 31-29 early in the third quarter before a spate of turnovers and missed long shots played once more into Ferris’s transition game.

The speedy team flew to a 41-31 lead and WV could get no closer than five points thereafter.

“Our quickness gets us some easy looks and gets us going,” Olson said. “Once a team adjusts, they figure out what to do a bit. West Valley went back into its power game. And once it went to a zone defense it took us a while to readjust and refocus offensively.”

Templeton had three baskets off of the turnovers and hurried perimeter shots and the more patient Saxons added three inside baskets by Brian Hallett in the third quarter. He would finish with 12 points.

“We just had to slow down and let things come to us,” said Templeton.

WV’s Tyler Hobbs scored nine first-half points. He finished with 18 and was a force on the boards, with eight offensive rebounds.

Fellow junior, guard Arton Toussaint, added 14 points, mostly on drives late in the game when the Eagles were desperately attempting to come back.

Mead 58, Central Valley 57

No strangers to close games or buzzer-beating finishes the last couple of years, the visiting Panthers (7-5, 4-1) got a 10-foot jumper by Lucas Ashe with 30 seconds to go and held on when the Bears (8-4, 2-3) turned over the ball on their possession. Mead trailed 30-21 at half, but battled back to remain tied for first place. Freshman Brendan Ingebritsen came off the bench to score 17 points. CV’s Nick Ambrose led all scorers with 21.

Gonzaga Prep 44, Shadle Park 40

The Bullpups (8-4, 4-1), much as they did Friday, found themselves in a 9-0 hole at the outset, but outscored the host Highlanders (5-7, 3-2) 15-6 in the third quarter. They led by a point with 1:12 left and hung on. Guards Michael Johnson and Brandon Kennedy fueled the rally with a combined 27 points.

University 61, Clarkston 58 (OT)

Critical turnovers by the Bantams (5-7, 2-3) gave the game to the host Titans (8-4, 3-2). Clarkston was ahead by a point with fewer than 10 seconds remaining before U-Hi made two free throws and the final basket. Calvin Jurich was 10 for 12 from the field, scoring 23 points, and had 15 rebounds for the victors. Jason Curtis made 5 of 8 3-point baskets and finished with 18 points.

LC 69, East Valley 57

The Tigers (4-7, 2-3) parlayed a 34-16 rebounding advantage over the visiting Knights (4-8, 1-4) into their second GSL victory. T.J. Lee-Hill had 11 rebounds and Alston Umuolo scored 15 points.

Cheney 87, NC 79 (2 OT)

In the night’s second overtime game, Cheney (7-5, 3-2) overcame an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit to force the first overtime. Then the visiting Blackhawks hit two 3-point baskets in the final 15 seconds, with a pair of NC (4-8, 1-4) free-throw misses sandwiched in between, to send it to the extra OT. There, Cheney pulled away. Derek Miller finished with 33 points.

Mt. Spokane 50, Rogers 43

The Wildcats (6-6, 3-2) broke a halftime tie in the third quarter and held on for the win at Rogers (1-11, 0-5). GSL scoring leader Scotty Livengood scored 19 for the Pirates.

Girls Central Valley 60, Mead 58

In a thriller, the Bears (9-3, 4-1) survived the visiting Panthers (5-6, 2-3) when Chelsea Mykines’ buzzer-beating shot attempt missed. Only a point or two separated the teams at the end of each quarter. Sarah Gehring scored 19 and Heidi Heintz 17 for the Bears. Mead had three players in double figures, but was without scoring leader and post presence Kelli Valentine.

University 73, Clarkston 38

Five players finished in double figures as the Titans (12-0, 5-0) blew past visiting Clarkston (7-5, 2-3). U-Hi had 16 steals and hit 8 of 18 3-point shots. GSL scoring leaders Jami and Angie Bjorklund divided 28 points.

Mt. Spokane 68, Rogers 29

Mt. Spokane (11-1, 5-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Charlee Jackson and Katelan Redmon, who each had 14. Denisha Whitehead hit 3 of 5 shots from beyond the 3-point arc and led the Pirates (0-12, 0-5) with 11 points.

Ferris 66, West Valley 36

Stacey Cox scored 11 of her 14 points in the first quarter to spark the host Saxons. Cox buried 4 of 8 shots from 3-point range and grabbed nine rebounds for Ferris (4-8, 2-3). Jackie Rouse scored 12 points for the Eagles (1-11, 1-4).

Lewis and Clark 80, EV 36

The visiting Knights (6-6, 2-3) were no match for the Tigers (12-0, 5-0) who shut them out in the first quarter and had a breakout 28-point second quarter. Five LC players, Morgan Parker, Ren Mallory, Briann January, Heather Bowman and Lyndi Seidensticker finished in double figures, while the team shot better than 50 percent.

North Central 47, Cheney 40

The Indians (9-3, 2-3) broke a third-quarter tie to beat the visiting Blackhawks (2-10, 0-5). Shantel Haugen and Alie Hansen combined for 28 points for NC. Cheney’s Meghan Cogley and Rebecca DeCoria teamed up for 30.

Gonzaga Prep 62, Shadle Park 49

The Bullpups (9-3, 4-1) were 6 of 14 from 3-point range. Sarah Jennings pumped in 18 points to lead Gonzaga Prep, draining half of her eight 3-point attempts. The host Highlanders (2-10, 1-4) converted 72 percent (13 for 18) from the free-throw line.