PREP BASKETBALL: Mire pours in 26 as Sandpoint girls fall to Kennewick
Sandpoint High sophomore Brecken Mire dribbles by a Post Falls defender during an away game earlier this season.
Photo by Jason Duchow Photography
GIRLS
Kennewick 63, Sandpoint 53
SPOKANE VALLEY — On the opening day of the West Valley Holiday Classic Tournament, sophomore Brecken Mire poured in a career-high 26 points as the Lady Bulldogs fell short of the Lady Lions.
Mire hit two 3-pointers, scored at least six points in every quarter, and recorded a team-high five assists and four steals to go along with seven rebounds.
"With Jordyn (Tomco) out today, Brecken did a good job of running our offense and scored points when we really needed them," Sandpoint High head coach Will Love said.
Coach Love said a slow start offensively and some defensive miscues put his team in a deficit early. Sandpoint trailed 20-8 after one quarter of play and 42-23 at halftime.
"We didn't play well defensively in the first half but picked things up a little bit in the second half — Kennewick is a great offensive team," coach Love said. "What really hurt us today, in that first half, was not being able to convert on some open looks. If we get a couple to fall in that first quarter especially, then it's a little bit more of a competitive game."
Despite the loss, coach Love said he was pleased with how his team responded in the second half against Kennewick, which is now 5-1 and is beating opponents by an average of 24.8 points per game this season.
In addition to Mire's big day, sophomore Livia Driggs had 10 points, junior Jetta Thaete and senior Demi Driggs six points apiece for Sandpoint (5-3, 0-0), which closes out the tournament Saturday with an afternoon game against Royal High of Washington.
Kennewick 20 22 14 7 — 63
Sandpoint 8 15 14 16 — 53
PTS: SPT — Mire 26, L. Driggs 10, Thaete 6, D. Driggs 6, Ca. Laybourne 3, Ch. Laybourne 2. KEN — Ripplinger 14, D. Dress 13, Bendewald 13, J. Fiander 9, Perry 6, Kinsey 4, H. Fiander 2, A. Dress 2.
REB: SPT — Mire 7, D. Driggs 7, Ch. Laybourne 6, M. Driggs 5, Ca. Laybourne 5, L. Driggs 2, Thaete 1. KEN — N/A.
AST: SPT — Mire 5, L. Driggs 1, Butler 1, Ca. Laybourne 1. KEN — N/A.
STL: SPT — Mire 4, L. Driggs 2, Ch. Laybourne 2, D. Driggs 1. KEN — N/A.
BLK: SPT — D. Driggs 2, Ch. Laybourne 1. KEN — N/A.
East Valley 36, Priest River 35
SPOKANE VALLEY — Senior Desi Humphrey had a team-high 14 points as the Lady Spartans fell just one point shy of the Lady Knights on the first day of the West Valley Holiday Classic Tournament on Friday.
Senior Lizzie McCracken and freshman McKinley Burgess-Duquette had six points each while junior Aleigha Jensen pitched in five for Priest River, which led 19-14 at halftime after a big second quarter.
Priest River (6-2, 1-0) will face off against Medical Lake for their second game of the tournament Monday.
East Valley 8 6 14 8 — 36
Priest River 4 15 10 6 — 35
PTS: PR — Humphrey 14, McCracken 6, Burgess-Duquette 6, Jensen 5, Jepson 2, Braae 2. EV — Salinas-Taylor 14, Rasmussen 12, Weger 2, Salina 2, Dach 2, Goggin 2.
BOYS
Prosser 63, Sandpoint 45
CHANDLER, Ariz. — At Chandler Prep, the Bulldogs opened up the Cactus Jam Phoenix Hoop Classic Tournament with an 18-point loss to the Mustangs on Friday.
Juniors Logan Roos and Kingston Corbett led the way, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively. Sophomore Logan Iverson added seven points, senior Emerik Jones and sophomore Brock Yarbrough four each for the Bulldogs, which trailed just 26-24 at halftime.
Koby McClure and Killian Phillips had 15 points apiece for Prosser, which is now 6-1 and reached the 2A Washington State Quarterfinals last year.
Sandpoint (1-5, 0-0) will continue play Saturday in the 'Tempe Division' bracket against Rocky River High of Ohio.
Sandpoint 7 17 10 11 — 45
Prosser 8 18 17 20 — 63
PTS: SPT — Roos 12, Corbett 10, Iverson 7, Jones 4, Yarbrough 4, Haddock 3, Gion 3, Williams 2. PRO — McClure 15, Phillips 15, Bailey 9, Russell 8, Cortes 7, Rivera 3, Clarke 3, Groeneveld 3.