State regional roundup: GP girls fall to Central Valley

Published 1:30 am Friday, February 28, 2020

SPOKANE — It was a bit of deja vu for the Glacier Peak girls basketball team Friday night.

The No. 5 seed Grizzlies traveled east for a Class 4A state regional contest against fourth-seeded Central Valley at University High School in Spokane with a Day 1 bye at the Harwood Classic on the line for the second straight season. And for the second consecutive year the Grizzlies are heading home with a two-game losing streak and their worst loss of the season.

Chloe Williams’ 17 points led four Central Valley (20-3) players in double figures, Glacier Peak (20-4) scored just five points in the third quarter and the Bears earned a first-day bye in Tacoma with a 67-49 victory.

Central Valley scored the first 13 points of the third quarter to take a 45-28 lead after holding a 32-28 advantage to start the half. The Bears’ lead never dropped below 14 after their 13-0 run to open the half.

The 18-point loss was the Grizzlies’ biggest margin of defeat this season and worst loss since a 79-49 defeat against Lynnwood on Feb. 5, 2016.

After a Glacier Peak basket to start the game, Central Valley went on 9-0 run in the first quarter and led for almost the entirety of the contest. The Grizzlies grabbed their second lead of the game at 25-24 in the second quarter after a basket from Maya Erling capped a 15-5 run. The Bears led the rest of the way after Williams’ hit a 3-point shot to make it 28-25 in the second.

MJ Bruno added 16 and Michael Pitts and Peyton Howard each added 11 for Central Valley.

Madison Rubino and Aaliyah Collins netted 10 points a piece to lead Glacier Peak, which shot just 9 of 23 from the free-throw line.

The Grizzlies to play the winner of Saturday’s matchup between No. 11 seed Lake Stevens and 14th-seeded Camas on Wednesday, 9 a.m., at the Tacoma Dome.

Central Valley’s potential quarterfinal opponents will be decided Saturday.

Mt. Spokane 78, Shorecrest 49

SPOKANE — One big run was all Mount Spokane needed.

With the game tied 20-20 in the second quarter, the Wildcats enforced their will.

Tia Allen’s basket early in the quarter broke the tie and ignited a 21-0 quarter-ending run by Mount Spokane as it went on to hand Shorecrest its most lopsided loss since 2016.

The Scots hadn’t allowed more than 60 points in a game this season.

University of Washington commit Jayda Noble the fifth-seeded Wildcats (19-3) with 22 points and Emma Main added 13.

Sydney VanNess paced the No. 4 seed Scots (21-3) with 15 points.

Shorecrest faces Wilson/Capital in a first-round Hardwood Classic game Wednesday, 7:15 p.m., at the Tacoma Dome.

BOYS

King’s 62, Deer Park 44

YAKIMA — Another year, another trip to the Yakima Valley SunDome for the King’s boys basketball team.

The 14th-seeded Knights (15-10) advanced past the regional round of the 1A state tournament for eighth straight season with a victory over No. 11 seed Deer Park (16-7) in a loser-out game at West Valley High School.

King’s faces the loser of Saturday’s clash between sixth-seeded Lynden Christian and No. 3 seed Zillah on Wednesday at 9 a.m. in Yakima.