Basketball: Oatis helps Kennewick girls stay alive in district playoffs

Alicia Oatis led four Lions in double-digits with 20 points as the Kennewick High School girls basketball team beat the visiting Southridge Suns 74-46 on Tuesday in a loser-out game of the District 8 Class 3A playoffs.

Kennewick (13-9) still needs two more wins in loser-out games this week to emerge from the loser’s bracket with a regional berth. Next up is the North Central Indians — who beat Shadle Park 46-30 — at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Spokane Arena. The winner plays the Kamiakin-Mt. Spokane loser in a winner-to-regionals game at 3 p.m. Friday.

Aislin Fiander added 13 points for Kennewick, Maddie Gebbers had 12 and Nya Guich 10. The Lions sprinted to an early lead when they went on a 26-10 run in the first quarter.

Emmee Ball scored 16 points in the final game of her sophomore campaign for the Suns (5-18).

BOYS BASKETBALL

WALLA WALLA 57, CHIAWANA 50: Dylan Sullivan scored 18 points, Javon Handcox had 16 points and four steals, and Tyler Greene handed out a game-high five assists to help the visiting Blue Devils top the Riverhawks in an elimination game of the District 8 4A playoffs.

Wa-Hi (15-8) will face fellow No. 3 seed Lewis and Clark at 1:30 p.m. Friday in a winner-to-regionals, loser-out game at the Spokane Arena.

The game was tied at halftime and the Blue Devils led by just four going into the fourth quarter, but they held the Riverhawks to four points in the final 8 minutes to pull away.

Taylor Kroll scored 14 points and had three gives in the final game of his high school career for Chiawana (11-12).

KENNEWICK 62, ROGERS 55: Jenner Norwood scored 18 points and Isaiah Mendoza added 16 as the Lions won on the road to stay alive in the District 8 3A playoffs, eliminating the Pirates.

Kennewick will face North Central in another loser-out game at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Spokane Arena, hoping to move into a Friday winner-to-regional contest against either Kamiakin or Mt. Spokane.

Ayoni Benavidez scored 10 points for the Lions (10-12). Jahlil Frans led Rogers (9-14) with a game-high 19 points.

NORTH CENTRAL 70, SOUTHRIDGE 39: Sam Lopia scored 11 points but the visiting Suns (7-15) were eliminated from the District 8 3A playoffs by the Indians (12-12).

Parish Neil scored 13 points to lead North Central, and Rashawn Lemery and Kiernan Knight each had a dozen.

This story was originally published February 13, 2018 at 10:28 PM with the headline "Basketball: Oatis helps Kennewick girls stay alive in district playoffs."