Brynn McGaughy leads Central Valley girls to win on night honoring Bears 2016, ‘18 state title teams

There is a lot of attention paid to Central Valley senior Brynn McGaughy, and rightly so. The 6-foot-2 forward is headed to the University of Washington next fall carrying the mantel of top college prospect in the state.

But the Bears are not a one-player show. Considered as a challenger for the Greater Spokane League title even before McGaughy transferred to the school from Colfax in the fall, CV is now recognized as one of the top 3A teams in the state. 

On the night that the school saluted Central Valley’s girls basketball state champions of 2016 and ‘18, including WNBA player Lexie Hull and her twin sister Lacie, the current edition of the Bears put on a championship-level performance themselves. 

McGaughy scored 24 points with nine rebounds and the Bears never trailed in a 71-36 win over visiting Mt. Spokane in a nonleague game. 

Eden Sander added 14 points, Keana Gosney had 12 and Gabbie Wilson chipped in 10 for the Bears (4-0). 

Sloane Gardner led Mt. Spokane (2-3) with 17 points. 

Central Valley coach Jason Wilson said his Bears are far from a finished product despite winning their first four games by 25, 34, 33 and 35 points.

“When we play with pace, we’re pretty good,” he said. “If you look at the scores of our games, you think, ‘Man, they’re playing really well.’ But we think we have a ways to go still, which is kind of weird to say, I guess. But we’re not as consistent as we can be.”

“I think it’s taken a little bit for me to adjust to (the pace), because whether it’s AAU or high school basketball, I’ve never really been in a program that just is nonstop running,” McGaughy said. “It’s not only getting me in shape, but it’s also helping me and my other teammates get easy buckets.”

CV held Mt. Spokane to 11 points after halftime.

“We talked about that before the game that it’s (Mt. Spokane’s) third game this week,” Wilson said. “So, just stick with it and they might slow down in the second half. And I think that’s sort of what happened.”

Wilson made sure his team knew the impact of the Wall of Fame celebration at halftime.

“We told the girls before the game, ‘Let’s try to have a championship effort today.’ What those women have done for CV, you know? We tell the girls all the time, being a part of this program is a big deal.”

“The Hull twins, they’re something special,” McGaughy said. “They really created a foundation here in history. I’m just happy I get to be part of this, and you know, it could be us one day out there.”

CV raced out to a 7-1 lead, with McGaughy providing all of the points in the paint battling against Mt. Spokane’s 6-2 post Karis Santucci. Mt. Spokane got the deficit to two, but a 15-8 run to end the quarter gave the Bears a 24-15 lead after one. 

“I like playing girls my size. It helps me use my full skill set,” McGaughy said. “And I’m not in my head as much because smaller girls have better hands. I love the challenge.”

“(McGaughy) is such a team player,” Wilson said. “I keep talking to her. ‘It’s okay to be who you are.’ But she just wants to do the right thing, you know.”

Gardner kept Mt. Spokane within arm’s length with eight points in the second, but CV led 36-24 at the half. The Bears opened the third quarter with a 12-0 run generated off turnovers, including eight points from Gosney, to open a 22-point lead. 

Sander and Wilson hit 3s, McGaughy scored on back-to-back inside baskets, and the lead grew to 30 midway through the fourth.

“When they started doubling and collapsing on me, I had a few early turnovers and I got pretty mad at myself,” McGaughy said. “I kicked out to Eden for a first 3 and I was like, ‘Hit it.’ That’s so much fun. I love playing with girls that shoot.”