The Fitz: Ridgeline girls make late rally, fall to Snohomish 35-28; Gonzaga Prep girls outlast West Linn

The Dan Fitzgerald Memorial Basketball Tournament at Lewis and Clark High School, held annually on the first weekend of December every season, has been the philanthropic start of the prep basketball season in Spokane.

Organizers have announced the 13th annual edition this weekend will be the last.

The first game of the day on Friday, featuring Greater Spokane League 3A challenger Ridgeline and Snohomish, which finished fifth at the State 3A tournament last season, was full of effort – but not a whole lot of success.

Both teams suffered through rough shooting nights, but the visitors found just enough “makes” at the end to escape with a victory.

Cora Larson scored 10 points and Snohomish outlasted the Falcons 35-28 in the first of four games at the school Friday.

“It’s an honor to be able to be a part of something that has Fitz’s name on it,” Ridgeline coach Freddie Rehkow said. “They treated us really well at the banquet (Thursday) night and they’ve done a great job here. This is great for our community.

“You can hold any kind of basketball tournament here in Spokane and it’s going to be well supported. We’re glad to be part of that and it was a great privilege.”

Madi Crowley led Ridgeline with nine points and limited Snohomish’s all-league forward Tyler Gildersleeve-Stiles to two points.

“(Crowley) did a great job,” Rehkow said. “I think the other girls did a good job on the weakside help, which made it difficult for Tyler to get those opportunities. Every time she turned, there was a body there.”

“We got to experience (high-level) competition early and see what we need to work on so that we can grow,” Crowley said. “Then, when it does count, when it’s in league, and playoffs, and state, then we can be prepared and be ready for that. …It’s good for our team to build and play back-to-back games.”

Rehkow took over the girls program at Ridgeline after leading the Falcons boys in the first three years of the program.

“I liked a couple minutes of the fight in the fourth quarter, but I felt like we just didn’t have the energy,” he said. “We were the team that hasn’t played since Saturday. We should have had the energy. I just felt like we didn’t bring it until we really needed it.”

Ridgeline went 7 of 28 on shots inside the arc and 3 for 18 on 3-pointers.

“The good thing is we tightened down the defense to keep us in the game in that first half when we couldn’t hit anything,” Rehkow said.

Snohomish (2-1) led 27-18 heading to the fourth quarter.

Ridgeline guard Kate Taylor hit a 3-pointer, Crowley added a long basket and Cayce Paske drilled a 3-pointer for her only basket of the game as the Falcons scored the first eight points of the fourth to draw within 27-26.

Snohomish’s Sienna Capelli hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2 minutes to go. Larson added a 3 a minute later to put the lead back to nine.

“We worked really hard to come back, and then we just kind of lost it at the end,” Crowley said.

“They hit a couple of 3s. We knew that’s what they can do,” Rehkow said. “If you had asked me if we could hold (Gildersleeve-Stiles) to two points and lose by seven, I would have said, ‘No way.’ ”

Ridgeline (1-1) is playing without all-league guard Grace Sheridan, who will miss most of the season with an injury.

“The kids are really stepping up. Over time, we’re going to be fine,” Rehkow said. “I look at these nonleague games as an opportunity for us to keep getting better, find where we’re weak and make them a little bit stronger.”

Gonzaga Prep 60, West Linn (Oregon) 55: Belle Hernandez scored 15 points, Olivia McIntyre added 10 and the Bullpups beat the Lions in an opener for both teams.

G-Prep built a 32-20 halftime lead, but West Linn came roaring back. Freshman Brie Balensifer hit a contested 3-pointer to make it a two-point game early in the fourth quarter. The Bullpups hit 6 of 8 from the line down the stretch to hang on.

Balensifer led West Linn with 24 points.

Gonzaga Prep, which played in the State 4A title game last season, played without all-league guard Aylah Cornwall, who is out with an injury. West Linn lost in the second round of the Oregon 6A tournament last season.

Boys

Kentwood 90, Mead 70: Corey Tita and Brandon Tagle scored 21 points apiece, Mason St. Louis added 20 and the Conquerors (1-1) beat the Panthers (1-1).

Mead takes on Skyview, which fell to Kentwood in the state fourth-place game in March, on Saturday at noon.

Bryce Lynd scored 19 points and Karson Maze added 14 for Mead, which is missing all-league guard Nash Dunham for a few games with an ankle injury.