Maverick Sanders leads Mt. Spokane boys over North Central in district first-round loser-out, Wildcats girls cruise past Hermiston

Unlike the bigger schools in 4A, the District 8 3A tournament is single-elimination in the first round, and just two teams make it out of the district to reach the state playoffs.

Mt. Spokane came in 19-1, ranked No. 2 in the state 3A media poll. North Central was coming off its best win of the season, a 66-56 decision over Ferris on Tuesday.

But playoff basketball is different, and the more-seasoned Wildcats took advantage of the younger Wolfpack – at least early in the game.

Mt. Spokane led 20-6 after the first quarter and the Wildcats eliminated North Central 64-49 on Saturday, advancing to a semifinal against third-seeded Walla Walla on Tuesday.

Maverick Sanders scored 22 points, and Ryan Lafferty and Andrew Rayment added 16 apiece for Mt. Spokane (20-1).

Eli Williams led North Central (8-13) with 21 points and Jacori Ervin had 13.

“It was a loser-out, the only one I’ve seen where the ‘1’ is in a loser-out,” Mt. Spokane coach David Wagenblast said. “(North Central) has really progressed and gotten better this season. Fortunately, our guys were ready to go and started the game the way we wanted to.”

“Our kids were a little nervous,” North Central coach Andre Ervin said. “This is the first time they’ve played together with stakes like this. Once we settled down, it was just keeping our emotions in check.

“Next year they’ll know how this feels.”

The Wildcats came out of the gate with purpose, going straight at 6-foot-8 sophomore forward JuJu Ervin. Rayment got the ball in the paint on two straight possessions, scoring twice, including a one-handed jam, and drew a foul. Ervin picked up his second moments later and headed to the bench.

Sanders hit a 3-pointer, McKay Smith added another and Mt. Spokane led 20-6 after one quarter.

“We did a good job of getting in transition and went really hard on defense,” Wagenblast said.

“We wanted to come out strong,” Sanders said. “The game plan was to get the lead early and stick with it.”

Sanders opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer, then went the distance with a steal and two-handed jam and the lead grew to 27-6.

Lafferty popped a 3-pointer near the end of the quarter and Mt. Spokane led 37-18 at halftime.

Sanders talked about NC’s length.

“It’s a whole different look,” he said. “They are bigger than most college teams. They make things difficult on the inside, for sure.”

Rayment hit a 3-pointer early in the third quarter, then NC’s 6-foot-10 post Jacori Ervin went to work. He scored on a dunk, then a putback the next time down.

Ervin scored eight in the quarter, but Sanders hit a 3 from the corner with a minute left, and Mt. Spokane led 54-34 entering the fourth.

“The difference between us and Mt. Spokane isn’t talent, really, or X’s and O’s,” Andre Ervin said. “It’s just mental focus. It’s a culture we’re building, and Mt. Spokane already has that developed.”

Girls

Mt. Spokane 71, Hermiston 48: Sophomore Abby Priddy scored 21 points, junior Patience Gray had 17 and senior Bryten Gumke added 14 and the fourth-seeded Wildcats (11-9) eliminated the fifth-seeded Bulldogs (6-9) in a first-round game.

Mt. Spokane faces top-seeded Kennewick, a 63-35 winner over Ferris.

“I’m really proud of their effort,” Mt. Spokane coach David Pratt said. “They stuck with the game plan. Our leadership was just dialed in.”

Mt. Spokane had little trouble breaking Hermiston’s trap in the first quarter and ended up with some easy shots. Priddy scored seven points in the quarter and the Wildcats led 22-12 after one quarter.

“Abby is kind of a stretch four for us,” Pratt said. “She does a really nice job for us in there.”

Priddy scored seven more in the second quarter, and Mt. Spokane led 35-23 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats took advantage of the 6-3 junior post Grey, whose third bucket of the quarter put Mt. Spokane up 43-28 with 4 minutes left in the quarter.

“She’s just so big and strong in there,” Pratt said of Grey. “The second half was all her.”

Gumke hit a 3 moments later, and the Wildcats led 54-34 after three quarters.