After loss to second-seeded Pullman, Cheney needs win over Clarkston to advance to state
By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
The sixth-seeded Cheney girls' basketball team played inspired basketball for a 61-35 win over No. 3 seed Medical Lake in the loser-out opening round of the Great Northern League playoffs last Wednesday. Ironically, the Lady Hawks may have received their inspiration from an unusual source – the Medical Lake students and fans.
Cardinals' fans began chanting, “Warm up the bus” with about a minute left in Cheney's 46-42 loss in the teams' Feb. 18 regular-season finale. Lady Hawks' head coach Hal Sautter made sure his players remembered that prior to Wednesday's game.
“We had a message on the wall, ‘We're not warming up the bus early tonight,'” Sautter said.
The Lady Hawks responded with physical defense and an attacking offense, especially when it came to rebounding. Cheney out rebounded Medical Lake 52-29, including 26 off the offensive glass, rebounds that translated into baskets and free throw opportunities.
That started in the second quarter where, trailing 11-10, the Lady Hawks embarked on a 19-0 run, scoring the last 14 points of the first half and the first five of the second for a 29-11 lead that was never threatened. Cheney also benefited from an outside shooting game that was 5 for 10 from 3-point range with junior post Janae Olson a perfect 2 for 2 from beyond the arc.
“That makes a difference,” Sautter said of Cheney's inside-outside game. “That opened up the lane for someone else.”
Olson finished with a game and career high 23 points, 9 for 13 from the line with 10 of those attempts coming from fouls on offensive rebounds. Olson had nine rebounds, seven offensively.
Laikyn Brophy poured in 18 points, only five of which, a 2-pointer and a 3-pointer, came from the field. Brophy was 13 for 16 from the line as Cheney went 28 for 41 from the charity stripe.
Brophy had eight rebounds, six offensively with Allie Brown leading the team with 14 boards, Nicole Fox 10 and Mikayla Vergo five. Cheney was 14 for 52 overall from the field, 26.9 percent and committed just 13 turnovers.
Cheney's inside-outside offense led to quality possessions, Sautter said, something they needed to beat a good Cardinals team that entered the post-season on a five-game winning streak.
The win moved Cheney into a game last Saturday at second-seeded Pullman, where the Greyhounds used their experience and height advantage inside to dismantle the Lady Hawks 68-39.
Cheney made offensive adjustments after trailing 21-10 at the end of the first quarter and pulled to within seven in the second. In the second half the Lady Hawks fell victim to their playoff inexperience, which led to turnovers, including 11 in a third-quarter where Pullman outscored Cheney 23-4 to break the game open.
Pullman's Shelby Cheslek led all scorers with 20 points; many coming via lob passes inside over Cheney defenders trying to front the 6-5 junior post. When they didn't get the ball into Cheslek the Greyhounds used patience in their half-court sets, moving the ball and setting good back-cut screens for easy lay-ins.
“For a lot of our kids, this is kind of uncharted territory,” Sautter said. “We kind of had that big-game paralysis, if you will.”
The last time Cheney advanced beyond the loser-out round was 2007 when they beat Pullman to earn the GNL's third seed to the state tournament.
Fox and Brown led Cheney with eight points apiece. Cheney was 14 for 51 from the field, 27 percent, including 4 for 19 from beyond the arc. Sautter said they challenged the players to take those 3s, especially the posts in order to make Pullman's defenders come outside and thereby open up the lane.
“I'm not disappointed we took 19 threes, I'm disappointed we didn't make more,” he added.
Cheney was 7 for 11 from the foul line, committed 23 turnovers and was out rebounded by the Greyhounds 40-24.
Despite the loss the Lady Hawks (10-12) still have a shot at a state berth. To make it to Yakima's Sundome next week they'll have to get past fifth-seeded Clarkston (10-12) and their star player, senior guard Kellie McCann-Smith.
The Bantams beat Cheney twice in the regular season, the last time 56-33 on Feb. 16 by using a 2-3 zone defensively and good outside shooting. Sautter said the Lady Hawks match up well inside with Clarkston, and have an offensive plan already in place to attack the Bantams' zone. The key lies in Cheney's perimeter game success, while not letting McCann-Smith take over the game on offense.
Cheney and Clarkston face each other Saturday, March 6, at 1 p.m. at Central Valley High School in Spokane.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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