SP girls fall to Mead

Shadle Park may have given league rivals bulletin-board material without even realizing it.

Kelli Valentine and Kami Clark combined for 33 points, and Mead earned an important victory Tuesday night on its home floor with a 59-54 victory over Shadle Park in Greater Spokane League girls basketball.

The Panthers improved to 14-3 and moved two games ahead of Shadle Park in the GSL standings with just three league games remaining.

Coming off a victory over the state’s top-ranked team, Lewis and Clark, the Highlanders (12-5) couldn’t maintain their momentum and witnessed their seven-game winning streak come to an end.

Shadle’s victory over LC may have put a bull’s-eye on the Highlanders’ green-and-gold jerseys.

“Going into it, we were a little nervous because (the Highlanders) had just beaten the No. 1 team in the state,” said Clark, who tallied 16 points. “We were all kind of nervous, but it was Senior Night, and that kind of got the adrenaline going.”

The Highlanders had possession of the ball trailing 57-54 with 35 seconds left, but they squandered the opportunity. Mead increased its defensive pressure, and Lexi Bishop was forced to take a heavily contested 3-point attempt that fell short as the shot clock expired.

Clark was fouled with 1.4 seconds left and swished two free throws to provide the final margin of victory.

The teams combined for 20 ties and lead changes in the first half before Mead reeled off 10 consecutive points to carry a 33-26 lead into halftime.

Clark picked up her third foul just 27 seconds into the second half, but Valentine’s offensive production prevented the Highlanders from mounting a comeback.

Valentine scored eight of her 17 points in the second half, six in the third quarter.

Mead coach Regan Drew said she will continue to rely on her two seniors.

“Kami is extremely active and does a lot of little things,” Drew said. “She’s very active offensively, and she’s a threat to hit from the outside or penetrate. (Valentine) just did the things she usually does. She’s so athletic and active.”

Mead’s final three games all are on the road (Gonzaga Park, North Central and LC).

“We have to be road warriors,” Clark said.

Shadle sandwiches a home game against University with the Groovy Shoes game in the Spokane Arena against NC on Thursday and at East Valley.

Gonzaga Prep 58, Ferris 49: Mariah Knopp scored a career-high 16 points to share game honors with Tara Cronin as the fifth-place Bullpups (11-5) outlasted the visiting sixth-place Saxons (8-9). G-Prep outscored Ferris in each of the first three quarters to build its lead. G-Prep’s Christie Norman scored all five of her points on one play, getting fouled after making a 3-pointer and hitting both free throws. Jenna Galloway scored 14 for Ferris.

Lewis and Clark 78, Rogers 36: The Tigers (16-1) shot well at Shaw Middle School to remain a game ahead of U-Hi in first place. Leading the Pirates (4-14) 21-13 after a period, they built on the lead with each successive quarter thanks to balanced scoring. Brittany Kennedy and Lyndi Seidensticker each scored 15 points and Katelan Redmon added 14. Denisha Whitehead scored 14 for Rogers.

University 71, East Valley 35: The Titans (15-2) blanked the visiting Knights (5-10) in the first quarter en route to an easy triumph. By intermission the score was 39-8 and U-Hi had things well in hand. Angie Bjorklund scored 24 points, hitting four 3-pointers. The Titans made 11 of 19 3-point attempts.