SPOKANE VALLEY – After starting this season 3-7, it was a long road to the 3A state tournament for the Prairie boys basketball team.
But a 14-game winning streak meant that road doesn’t end with Friday’s 71-52 loss to Mount Spokane in the regional round at University High east of Spokane.
Prairie couldn’t match up with the size and shooting of the No. 2-ranked Wildcats, who controlled all facets of the game to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals Thursday at the Tacoma Dome.
But Prairie’s resurgent run, which culminated in a bi-district title last weekend, means the Falcons aren’t done.
Prairie will play a loser-out game Wednesday in Tacoma after rising to No. 7 in the state RPI rankings. The Falcons will play either Shadle Park or Ingraham.
The challenge now for Prairie is to move beyond Friday’s loss.
Kam Osborn, who led Prairie with 19 points, said the team shouldn’t hang its head. After all, the Falcons are about to make their second straight trip to the Tacoma Dome after snapping a 10-year state playoff drought.
“One message I’ve been relaying to the guys is to enjoy it while we’re here,” he said. “A lot of Prairie teams haven’t made it in the past.”
Osborn scored nine points in the first quarter, which ended with Prairie trailing 23-14. But Mount Spokane (22-1) took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Falcons 18-6 to lead 41-20.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Prairie coach Kyle Brooks said. “We obviously wish we would have gotten off to a better start. But they’re big and fast and they executed really well at the start.”
A Prairie team with one starter taller than 6-foot-1 had trouble containing 6-foot-7 sophomore Tyson Degenhart. Mount Spokane’s leading scorer this season had 25 points.
Degenhart and 6-foot-5 forward Tanner Brooks combined for 21 rebounds as the Wildcats controlled the boards.
“We play well against size so I wasn’t too worried about it, but their size killed us,” Osborn said. “(Degenhart and Brooks), they’re big guys. They did whatever they wanted.”
Prairie (17-8) trailed 64-27 after three quarters, but went down swinging. The Falcons opened the fourth quarter on a 17-2 run, prompting Mount Spokane to put its starters back in with four minutes to play.
“The thing we did well is that after we got in a big hole, in the second half we competed really hard,” Brooks said. “We stayed positive, realizing we have another opportunity next week.”
With that opportunity comes another challenge, but with it the pride of being among the state tournament’s final 12 teams.
“You’re playing against the state’s best,” Brooks said. “We know the games are going to get tougher. I think our goal now is to win and advance and get to play more than one day there.”
MOUNT SPOKANE 71, PRAIRIE 52
PRAIRIE – Aidan Fraly 9, Kameron Osborn 19, AJ Dixson 7, Thomas Hapgood 3, Mark Frazier 0, Gabe Lilly 2, Hayden Rose 0, Brady Gagnon 2, Bronson King 0, Reece Walling 0. Totals 19 (8) 6-6 52.
MOUNT SPOKANE – Spencer Barrera 4, Tanner Brooks 9, Jack McClary 0, Mitch Stengle 0, Jerry Twenge 12, Logan Miller 0, JT Smith 17, Jojo Anderson 2, Jayden Williamson 2, Tyson Degenhart 25, Harley Peterson 0. Totals 31 (8) 1-4 71.
Prairie 14 6 7 25—52
Mt.Spokane 23 18 23 7—71
