Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007

4A Regional basketball capsules

By Rene Ferran, Herald staff writer

All games 7:30 p.m.

Boys

Moses Lake Chiefs (15-8) at Ferris Saxons (22-0)

Radio: KBSN 1470 AM.

Last appearance: Moses Lake, 2002; Ferris, 2006.

About Moses Lake: G Josh Loera (6-0 soph.) 14.6 ppg; F Quinn Baker (6-3 sr.) 13.8 ppg; G Cody Meeks (6-4 soph.) 12.1 ppg.

About Ferris: F Jared Karstetter (6-4 jr.) 15.0 ppg; F DeAngelo Casto (6-8 jr.) 14.8 ppg; G Shawn Stockton (6-1 jr.) 12.4 ppg.

The matchup: This is not your typical Ferris team. The Saxons scored 100 points in their regular-season finale against University; in the past, it might hae taken Ferris three games to reach that total. It's a balanced team with Stockton running the show and Casto providing a powerful presence in the middle. Senior guard Andre Jennings doesn't score much (3.2 ppg) but is a disruptive force on defense. Loera will have to handle Jennings' peskiness and come up with a monster game if ML has a shot at the upset.

Pasco Bulldogs (16-6) at Shadle Park Highlanders (16-7)

Radio: KONA 610 AM.

Last appearance: Pasco, 2005; Shadle Park, 2005.

About Pasco: G Shayne Kelly (6-1 sr.) 14.7 ppg; C Gavin Gilmore (6-7 jr.) 12.5 ppg; F Henry Randolph (6-2 sr.) 10.3 ppg.

About Shadle Park: G Zack Humphrey (5-11 jr.) 16.0 ppg; F Anthony Brown (6-5 soph.) 13.5 ppg; F Chris Dunn (6-2 sr.) 11.4 ppg.

The matchup: Both teams have had up-and-down seasons, with each capable of big wins followed by bad losses. Shadle has two wins over Mead, which finished second in the GSL, but also lost to sub-.500 teams Mount Spokane and University. Humphrey has been a starter since his freshman year and likes to shoot from anywhere on the floor, while Brown attacks the rim. Kelly needs to play like the CBL 4A MVP he is, steadying the Bulldogs, and Gilmore and Randolph will need to control the paint area.

Girls

Mead Panthers (18-5) at Moses Lake Chiefs (20-2)

Last appearance: Mead, 2003; Moses Lake, 1993.

About Mead: G Kami Clark (5-9 sr.) 10.9 ppg; G Alysha Green (5-7 sr.) 9.6 ppg; G Jazmine Redmon (5-8 fr.) 9.5 ppg; F Kelli Valentine (6-0 sr.) 9.5 ppg.

About Moses Lake: C Carly Noyes (6-5 soph.) 19.6 ppg; F Marielle McKean (5-11 sr.) 8.2 ppg; F Ann Noyes (6-4 jr.) 7.0 ppg.

The matchup: The Chiefs didn't get any favors in their return to regionals after a 14-year absence. No one on the Mead roster scares you — Valentine, a Portland State recruit, comes closest — but the Panthers spread the scoring wealth around, with five players averaging between 7-10 ppg. They also have a freshman post (6-4 Alexis Olgard at 7.4 ppg) who can match up with Carly Noyes, the CBL 4A MVP. Olgard missed the district playoffs with a sore back but is expected to return, as is 5-10 freshman Kristina Puthoff (flu). ML needs the game at a halfcourt tempo to take advantage of its size inside.

Walla Walla Blue Devils (16-7) at Lewis & Clark Tigers (20-2)

Radio: KTEL 1490 AM.

Last appearance: Walla Walla, 2006; Lewis & Clark, 2006.

About Wa-Hi: F Melissa Eastman (5-10 jr.) 16.6 ppg; G Jennifer Keyes (5-6 jr.) 14.6 ppg; F Anna Forge (5-11 sr.) 6.9 ppg.

About Lewis & Clark: G Katelan Redmon (6-1 sr.) 15.9 ppg; G Lyndi Seidensticker (6-0 sr.) 11.9 ppg; G Brittany Kennedy (5-8 jr.) 9.6 ppg.

The matchup: It's a first-round rematch of a year ago, when LC ran Wa-Hi off the floor 73-42. The Tigers, who won the GSL regular-season title, have the firepower to do so again this year, with Redmon already signed with UW and Seidensticker with Montana State. They love to push the tempo and get the game to a helter-skelter pace. Wa-Hi would rather get into halfcourt sets where it can play a two-man game with Eastman and Keyes, both first-team All-CBL picks, and Forge inside can scavenge for offensive boards.

Shadle Park Highlanders (15-8) at Pasco Bulldogs (21-1)

Last appearance: Shadle Park, 2000; Pasco, 2006.

About Shadle Park: G Lexi Bishop (5-8 sr.) 18.7 ppg; F Lexie Pettersen (6-0 jr.) 15.8 ppg.

About Pasco: F Cydney Knight (6-1 sr.) 12.4 ppg; G Kelsie Ramsey (5-9 jr.) 9.0 ppg; G Danielle Walter (5-10 fr.) 9.0 ppg.

The matchup: Shadle finally got over the hump this year after losing in the first round of the GSL districts last season. The Highlanders are a two-headed attack with Bishop, a Portland State signee, and Pettersen but not much else — their next highest scorer averages 5.1 ppg. Pasco, on the other hand, resembles Mead in that it has a D-I signee (Knight with Utah) who isn't necessarily the team's end-all, be-all player. In every game, seemingly, a different player steps up to join Knight and Ramsey as team star — in the district semifinals, it was Lisa Middleton (21 points on 8-of-10 shooting), and in the title game, it was Morgan Sullivan who hit the game-winner with 1.3 seconds left in overtime against Moses Lake.