Greater Spokane League basketball teams sweep first day of ‘The Fitz’

The eighth annual Dan Fitzgerald Memorial Basketball Showcase kicked off on Friday at Lewis and Clark HS with four games, featuring some of the top high school basketball teams in Washington and Oregon.

Fitzgerald – the legendary basketball coach at Gonzaga – was active during and after his coaching career with local charities.

All four Greater Spokane League teams won their games on the first day of “The Fitz.”

“I think it’s a good league,” LC boys coach Jim Redmon said. “I think it has been a good league. I think that’s the expectation here.”

Mt. Spokane girls 67, Grant (Oregon) 46: Returning all-league guard Aspyn Adams scored 21 points with five 3-pointers and the Wildcats (2-0) handled the Generals (0-1) in the first game of the day.

Jayda Noble added 12 points with eight rebounds and six steals for Mt. Spokane, ranked No. 6 in 3A in the Seattle Times preseason poll.

Mt. Spokane led 59-28 after three, and coach David Pratt used his bench for much of the fourth.

“We knew we were playing a top-ranked Oregon 6A team, and I think our kids knew we had to play at a really high level,” Pratt said.

Grant leading scorer and league MVP Daryn Hickok finished with 10 points, eight in the fourth quarter, before fouling out.

Ferris boys 68, Mount Si 60: Reece Van Lierop scored 20 points with eight rebounds and the Saxons (2-0) knocked off the fifth-ranked Wildcats (0-1).

“It’s a good win for this group,” Ferris coach Sean Mallon said. “We have a lot of guys that haven’t been in these types of games before. We have a few that have, and they really came though tonight.

“I think we can build off this.”

Cole Omlin, a transfer from Cheney, added 17 points with six boards and Kellen Erickson had 14 points and a key rebound in overtime.

Lewis and Clark girls 58, Beaverton (Oregon) 48: Jacinta Buckley scored eight of her 23 points in the fourth and the No. 2-ranked Tigers (2-0) pulled away from the Beavers (0-1), ranked No. 2 in Oregon 6A.

The game was tied at 44 until the LC seniors took charge late.

“Our first win at ‘The Fitz’ so that was nice,” Buckley said. “We came out a little slow, but we came out at the end and were able to finish the game.”

LC’s Dominque Arquette had nine of her 14 points in the fourth.

“It’s nice to have senior leadership that is very competitive,” LC coach Gabe Medrano said. “It was fun to see them step up defensively, get stops and offensively demanding the ball.”

Lewis and Clark boys 58, De La Salle (Oregon) 54: Griffin Effenberger scored 19 points with three 3-pointers and the No. 6-ranked Tigers (1-1) topped the Knights (0-1), the Oregon 3A state champs last season and preseason No. 1 in the OSAA coaches poll.

Brendan Cleary added 17 points for LC.

After LC lost its opener, a 66-63 decision to Kamiakin, the bounce-back win was welcome.

“We just have to get better every game,” Redmon said. “That’s what we’re trying to do. Some guys haven’t gotten a lot of minutes over the years, so we’re hoping to continue to get better that way.”

GSL boys

Mt. Spokane 63, Timberline 53: Tyson Degenhart scored 26 points and the Wildcats (2-0) defeated the Blazers (0-1) at Bothell HS. Jerry Twenge and Tanner Brooks added 10 points apiece.

Central Valley 68, Coeur d’Alene 67: Josh Wilson’s shot with 4.7 seconds remaining lifted the Bears (1-0) over the visiting Vikings (1-2). Kyle Clay led CV with 17 points and Wilson finished with 14.

University 76, Davis 31: Caleb Morton scored 18 points with six 3-pointers and the visiting Titans (1-0) beat the Pirates (0-2) in Yakima.

Post Falls 61, Rogers 47: Gavven Desjarlais had 16 points with 10 rebounds and the Trojans (1-0) beat the Pirates (0-2). Cody Downey led Rogers with 13 points.

GSL girls

University 74, Newport (Bellevue) 28: Ellie Boni scored 16 points with 11 assists and the visiting Titans (2-0) routed the Knights (1-1). Jacksen McCliment-Call added 13 points and Tyler McCliment-Call had 12.

Central Valley 57, Coeur d’Alene 27: Tomekia Whitman scored 16 points, Mady Simmelink added 15 and the Bears (1-0) beat the visiting Vikings (1-3). CV held CdA to one made field goal in the first half.

Davis 56, Ferris 41: Alexis Rojas scored 12 points and the Pirates beat the visiting Saxons (1-1) in Yakima. Mayson Younger led Ferris with 10 points.

West Valley (Yakima) 44, Mead 38: Ariel Winslow scored 29 points with five 3-pointers, and the Rams defeated the visiting Panthers in the season opener for both teams.